January 19, 2021
(Courtesy Photo)
Roadblocks were up around the Capitol on Monday, including at the corner of Don Gaspar Avenue and Paseo de Peralta. Luis Sánchez Saturno/Santa Fe New Mexican
By Robert Nott
Santa Fe New Mexican
The 2021 legislative session begins Tuesday at noon, against a bizarre backdrop that’s never been contemplated, much less seen.
The Capitol building remains surrounded by fencing, concrete barriers and blocked roads. On Monday, it was guarded by state police officers and at least a dozen National Guard soldiers, who were seen patrolling the facility and manning entrance checkpoints.
The annual State of the State speech, which usually highlights the opening day of the session, is off, at least on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said it eventually will be delivered, “likely remotely,” due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.