Good Morning New Mexico Activists:
Please join us at our next Legislative Huddle via Zoom, Weds., Feb. 2, 6-7 p.m. Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day, but we promise the meeting won’t be repetitive and bewildering! This week we’ll have Miranda Viscoli, Co-President of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, to discuss gun violence prevention bills, in particular HB 9 Unlawful Access to Firearm by Minor, which looks good on the surface but is a deeply flawed bill. (See Mon. pm hearing info on this bill below.) We will also discuss other important bills and get input from participants about their experiences so far during this 2022 Legislative Session. Register for the Huddle at this link.
In addition to one new hearing below (on HB 9), here is a list of bills being heard on Monday & Tuesday. Please go to yesterday’s Alert at this link to get details about how to advocate for these bills, including legislator contact info, time and day, and how to join the hearings by Zoom:
HB 37 Community Energy Efficiency Dev. Block Grant
HB 65 Housing Modernization Changes
HM 3 Paid Family & Medical Leave Task Force
HM 20 Study State-Level Public Utility Model
SJR 8 Salaries for Public Officials (Paid Legislature)
On Mon., Jan. 31, 1:30 p.m., Rm. 309, House Judiciary (in addition to HB 65 Housing Modernization Changes, which we told you about yesterday) is scheduled to hear HB 9 Unlawful Access to Firearm by Minor. On the surface, this bill may seem good – why not penalize parents whose minor child gets access to a firearm in the home and commits a crime? But on Sunday morning, Miranda Viscoli from New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence called us to urge us to oppose this bill because it will actually make it more difficult to prosecute parents whose children access their guns. Read the talking points in the link above to learn why we can’t support this bill in its current form. House Consumer & Public Affairs narrowly approved the bill by a 3:2 vote last Thursday, with several legislators noting that it is in need of revision.
Please email and call committee members this morning to urge them to OPPOSE this bill. Also consider offering public comment by following the instructions below to join the hearing by Zoom. Or watch the Webcast at nmlegis.gov by clicking on Webcast in the top menu bar and finding the committee name.
Join the Zoom webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85381395136. Or One tap mobile: +16699009128, 85381395136# or +12532158782, 85381395136#. Or for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799. Webinar ID: 853 8139 5136.
- Chair: Gail Chasey (D). District 18 (Bernalillo). Room 308, (505) 986-4411. Email: gail@gailchasey.com
- Vice Chair: Micaela Lara Cadena (D). District 33 (Dona Ana). Room 204B, (505) 986-4210. Email: micaela.cadena@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Eliseo Lee Alcon (D). District 6 (Cibola & McKinley). Room 314A, (505) 986-4416. Email: eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Christine Chandler (D). District 43 (Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and Santa Fe). Room 316B, (505) 986-4420. Email: christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Zachary J. Cook (R). District 56 (Lincoln and Otero). Room 203B, (505) 986-4226. Email: zachary.cook@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Brian Egolf (D). District 47 (Santa Fe). Room 104, (505) 986-4782. Email: brian.egolf@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Daymon Ely (D). District 23 (Bernalillo & Sandoval). Room 205A, (505) 986-4243. Email: daymon.ely@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Georgene Louis (D). District 26 (Bernalillo). Room 306, (505) 986-4329. Email: georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Matthew McQueen (D). District 50 (Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Torrance and Valencia). Room 316A, (505) 986-4423. Email: matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Greg Nibert (R). District 59 (Chaves & Lincoln). Room 203EN, (505) 986-4467. Email: greg.nibert@nmlegis.gov
- Member: William “Bill” R. Rehm (R). District 31 (Bernalillo). Room 201B, (505) 986-4214. Email: bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov
- Member: James G. Townsend (R). District 54 (Chaves, Eddy and Otero). Room 125, (505) 986-4758. Email: townsend@pvtn.net
To send group email, copy and paste this block: “Eliseo Lee Alcon” <eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov>, “Micaela Lara Cadena” <micaela.cadena@nmlegis.gov>, “Christine Chandler” <christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov>, “Gail Chasey” <gail@gailchasey.com>, “Zachary J. Cook” <zachary.cook@nmlegis.gov>, “Brian Egolf” <brian.egolf@nmlegis.gov>, “Daymon Ely” <daymon.ely@nmlegis.gov>, “Georgene Louis” <georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov>, “Matthew McQueen” <matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov>, “Greg Nibert” <greg.nibert@nmlegis.gov>, “William “Bill” R. Rehm” <bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov>, “James G. Townsend” townsend@pvtn.net
That’s all for today. We’re working hard to keep you updated daily, but please forgive us if something slips through the cracks!
In Hope and Solidarity,
Roxanne & Paul