So yea, pretty soon as much as I said here that it looked like Gov. Bill Richardson might be far from calling a special session on health care reform, he comes out today and says he wants to get it done in May. As in next month, not later this summer in August, like he had been saying.

I got this e-mail from spokesman Gilbert Gallegos in the afternoon.

"The Governor has tried to work with Senate leaders to move this issue forward and forge an agreement on health care before a special session. But Senate leaders have only met once, and there has been no progress whatsoever. The Governor will now meet with House leaders, and he is inclined to hold a special session in May."

Hmm.

As I was walking out the door, I got this from Senate leaders, who, contrary to what Richardson said, apparently have been meeting on the health care issue, and want more time.

"Several members of the state Senate have been meeting and will continue to meet in the coming months to help forge an agreement on the difficult question of how best to approach or pay for health care reforms.  I expect that groundwork can be completed by the end of the summer and that a special session could convene as early as this fall," Senate Majority Floor Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said.

Hmmmm.

Soon, I was getting yet another message from Gallegos.

"The Governor remains frustrated by the Senate leadership's cavalier attitude toward coming up with an agreement on universal health care. The Governor is inclined to hold a special session in May - not in the fall -- to deal provide health care to the 400,000 New Mexicans who
don't have access."

At the same time,  the governor welcomes the Senate's dedication to the issue, the statement said. Richardson said he'll make a decision about the timing of the session in the next few weeks based on how the Senate negotiations go.

Hmmmmmmmm.

So your guess is as good as mine in terms of when Richardson will actually call the session. Sounds like a battle of wills. Notice that the tone of the statements being bantered about isn't the most cordial. And cordiality will be in demand if anyone expects to get anything done on health care. 

Don't forget that lawmakers can't raise campaign cash while in session, so most of the 112 legislators -- all of whose seats are up for election this year -- likely don't have a burning desire to be back in Santa Fe before the June 3 primary.