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SANTA FE — Gov. Bill Richardson has started exerting pressure as the Legislature nears the end of its 30-day session.

With adjournment set for noon Thursday, the governor has vetoed millions of dollars from the operating budget, says he will defy an opinion from the Attorney General's Office and has threatened a special session if legislators don't bend a little on his health care plan.

On Tuesday, Richardson signed the $6 billion budget bill to finance operations of public education and general government next year.

But he vetoed a number of provisions, including one intended to force state employees to use the state's Rail Runner Express commuter rail system for government travel, saying it impinged on the executive branch's authority.

In his veto message, the governor said he didn't eliminate any appropriation of "major significance."

However, Richardson vetoed $3 million of federal grant money that was to go for a program that extends the school year for children in kindergarten through third grade in high-poverty schools.

Last year, the Legislature created a six-year pilot project for kindergarten-plus programs.

"With only a partial year of implementation outside a small pilot under our belt, let's see the results before we add more money to an already substantial budget," Richardson said.

As signed, the budget rises slightly more than 6 percent — or about $346 million — in the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The governor vetoed $2.9 million from the state's main budget account and $3 million in federal funding for the education program, along with about $9.9 million in one-time projects. Of that, nearly $6.3 million was to go to colleges and universities for a backlog of maintenance on buildings and other infrastructure.

Richardson also nixed an opinion from Attorney General Gary King, and said he will wait until Thursday to act on the massive capital improvement financing package and a smaller budget bill.

At issue is a three-day deadline for Richardson to sign or veto bills.

Richardson's office closed Saturday and no staffer was available to accept bills that finance nearly $370 million in capital improvements and pet projects of legislators and the governor.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish took delivery of the bills, but Richardson maintains that was invalid and that the bills weren't presented to him until Monday.

Since Sundays don't count in the three-day scheme, the governor contends he has until Thursday to act on the spending bills.

King issued an advisory letter Monday that said Denish could accept the bills. Under that view, the governor faces a deadline tonight to act on the measures — which would give the Legislature additional time to consider veto overrides.

"I disagreed with the attorney general's advisory opinion," Richardson said Tuesday. "There is nothing in the constitution to suggest when I keep my office open."

Richardson said he wasn't worried about the possibility of a lawsuit over the constitutional dispute. He said the Senate should "concentrate on passing health care reform instead of getting into nitpicking fights with the executive that are basically meaningless."

Richardson also said he might call a special session unless lawmakers change a health care proposal that had been one of his key initiatives.

The legislation, which is pending in the Senate, is a weakened version of the governor's plan for expanding health coverage in the state.

The governor has said he is disappointed in the bill, but that he would accept the measure if lawmakers revise it to give the governor the authority to appoint the executive director of a proposed health care authority.

Currently, the bill calls for the 11 voting board members of the authority to hire the executive director.