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The First Session of the 55th Legislature
Friday , February 19, 2021
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ABORTION RIGHTS BILL HEADS TO GOVERNOR’S DESK
The Democrat-led Legislature has voted to repeal a New Mexico law that outlaws abortion. Today the House voted 40-30 on SB-10, which would allow for late-term abortions and provide no protections for women and health care professionals. The bill doesn’t allow for a “conscience” provision to allow health professionals opt out if they object to the procedure on moral, ethical or religious grounds. This bill is immoral and will endanger the health and lives of women.
The Senate approved the legislation 25-17. The bill goes to the Governor, who plans to sign the horrible legislation.
CONTACT THE GOVERNOR! Tell her to veto this bill!
Governor's Office (505) 476-2200
Email the Governor
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GOVERNOR SAYS SHE'D VETO LEGISLATION AIMED AT CURBING HER POWERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES
Gov. Lujan Grisham says she would veto legislation that would limit her powers to extend emergency public health orders.
There's pending legislation in separate bills that would have the legislative branch vote on whether to extend emergency orders. A bill that would place a 45-day limit on an emergency health order and require legislative approval to extend it past 45 days is scheduled to be considered by the full Senate.
The governor's executive authority over emergency declarations has been a sore spot for some lawmakers, as well as New Mexico residents. The Governor's public health orders have affected the lives of all New Mexicans for nearly a year, ranging from restrictions on indoor dining and religious services to hotel occupancy rates and mask mandates.
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TEACHERS PENSION BILL ADVANCES IN SENATE COMMITTEE
The Senate Finance Committe has cleared a bill that would raise the employer contribution rate to the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board by 1 percent a year for the next four years. The vote was 5-4.
Senate Bill 42, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) will be considered next by the full Senate. Stewart contends the bill would help the pension system's solvency and also create equity with another public retirement fund.
Once fully implemented over four years, Stewart’s legislation would cost the state $120 million a year. This money would not only be another drain on taxpayers but lawmakers would have to sacrifice other programs to fill this massive financial gap.
This is another example of squeezing the taxpayers when New Mexicans are hurting.
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LEGISLATIVE SESSION REACHES HALFWAY POINT WITH LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED TO HELP HURTING NEW MEXICANS
The New Mexico Legislature has reached its midpoint.
Here's a press conference held today by House Leader Rep. Jim Townsend, Minority Whip Rep. Rod Montoya and Caucus Chair Rep. Rebecca Dow:
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Republican House Leadership Press Conference on Progress of Legislative Session
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Here's a summation of what's happened halfway into the legislkative Session from House Republicans:
Despite the claimed ease of virtual lawmaking, and Democrats touting “record levels” of public participation, the House Chamber did not pass its first bill until just last week. Of the bills that have been approved by the progressive-led chamber, 92% have been Democrat-sponsored legislation and 8% have been Republican measures. While there have been some glimpses of bipartisan cooperation, the overwhelming number of bills passed have been hyper-partisan which is a detriment to hard-working New Mexico families and business owners. Instead, the bills passed by the Democrat majority this session have fallen short of addressing the education and economic crises facing the state, leaving hard-working families and business owners looking for answers. Rather than addressing the pressing concerns New Mexico’s parents, students, and business owners are struggling with, the majority has focused on passing legislation for special interest groups, primarily trial lawyers.
“We have seen several opportunities to work together on a bipartisan basis to advance important bills- an independent redistricting commission, value-added agriculture, and fixing systemic CYFD programmatic issues- however, these bipartisan bills are stuck in our virtual committees,” said House Republican Caucus Chair Rebecca Dow (TorC). “We cannot ignore serious issues simply because Democrats do not want to give Republicans any political credit for helping to address the problems that New Mexicans care about.”
From the onset of the Lujan Grisham economic shutdown, House Republicans have made it clear their priorities are getting children back to in-person learning and passing legislation that positively impacts New Mexicans who have been adversely affected by business closures and high unemployment. Republican lawmakers have been especially concerned about frontline workers in the medical field, restaurants, and other hospitality-related businesses.
Further, House Republicans have voiced strong support for changing the state’s public health emergency laws to require legislative involvement in managing such emergencies. Currently, the Governor has sole authority to dictate the state’s response to the pandemic and there is no legislative or public oversight of her decisions, although these decisions directly affect every New Mexican. Reforming these public health emergency laws to provide needed oversight has considerable bipartisan support, yet such legislation has still not made it to the full body for consideration.
“New Mexicans have no representation or recourse due to the sole decision making power of the Governor, and the Democrat leadership would prefer to keep dancing around the problem and pass one bad bill after another, rather than address our state’s education, unemployment, and business closure problems,” said House Republican Whip Rod Montoya (Farmington). “It is almost as if the Democrats see re-establishing legislative oversight as a rebuke of the Lujan Grisham administration. I was elected to do what is right for our state and my district, not sidestep the fundamental issues that progressives see as posing political fallout for the Governor.”
Although the Legislature’s Democrat leadership proclaims the session’s top priority is to assist our state’s economic recovery, the reality is the House and Senate has spent considerable time supporting legislation that is a direct assault on small businesses, New Mexico’s local governments, law enforcement officers, and the oil and gas industry.
“The flurry of legislative activity that has occurred during the first 30 days of the session has revealed that dark-money and special interest groups reign supreme in the Roundhouse,” said House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (Artesia.) “On the other hand, those citizens who continue to struggle and suffer due to the Governor’s economic shutdown policies must wait for needed relief.”
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2021 ROUNDHOUSE PROFILES: WORKING HARD FOR YOU
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SEN. GAY KERNAN
Sen. Kernan, an educator, lives in Hobbs and serves Chaves, Eddy, and Lea Counties. She's been a Senator since 2002. Committees: Education, Tax, Business & Transportation. You can email Sen. Kernan at: [email protected]
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REP. JAMES STRICKLER
Rep. Strickler is a Petroleum Landman who serves San Juan County. He's been in the House of Representatives since 2007. Committees: Energy, Environment & Natural Resources and Taxation & Revenue. Rep. Strickler's email: [email protected]
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REP. RYAN LANE
Rep. Ryan Lane is an attorney who serves San Juan County. This is Rep. Lane's first term in the legislature. Committees: Appropriations & Finance and Education. You can email Rep. Lane at: [email protected]
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CHECK OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE NEW MEXICO SENATE AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS FACEBOOK PAGES
To go to the NM Senate Republicans Facebook page, click here.
To go to the NM House Republicans Facebook page, click here.
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DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU WILL RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES ON KEY BILLS AND OTHER HAPPENINGS AT THE ROUNDHOUSE
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LISTEN TO CHAIRMAN PEARCE'S PODCAST
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Be sure to catch Inside New Mexico with Steve Pearce each week on your favorite podcast platform. You can subscribe to listen and be notified when a new episode is available.
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