Two big bills coming up early Friday, and it you want to submit written comments, you must do so before Thursday 8:30 a.m. Continue reading for more info on Reproductive Rights and Voting Rights bills!
On Fri., Feb. 3, 8:30 a.m. in Room 307, House Health & Human Services will hear HB 7 Reproductive & Gender-Affirming Healthcare Freedom Act, first on the agenda. We don’t have talking points prepared yet, but this bill would protect access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, including psychological, behavioral, surgical, pharmaceutical and medical care to support a person’s gender identify and that same care related to pregnancy prevention, abortion, pregnancy loss, fertility, STDs, and more. It also prohibits prosecution or punishment for accessing these types of healthcare, and prohibits the creation of any law, ordinance, policy, or regulation that conflicts with the provisions of this Act. Even though we repealed the abortion ban in our state in 2021, this bill provides further protection for reproductive healthcare services, in addition to gender-affirming healthcare.
Please call and email committee members today or Thursday to urge them to vote “YES” on HB 7. You can submit written comments via email, at least 24 hours before the hearing, to Monica Luna at monica.luna@nmlegis.gov. You can also offer public comment in person at the hearing or via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84266137922. NOTE: This hearing is not yet posted on the nmlegis.gov committee schedules, but we assume the Zoom link is the same as to HHHC’s last hearing. I hope it works! One tap mobile: +16699009128, 84266137922# or +17193594580, 84266137922#. Webinar ID: 842 6613 7922. Or watch the hearing Webcast at this link.
House Health & Human Services Committee
- Chair: Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson (D). District 24 (Bernalillo). Room 314B, 986-4425. Email: liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov
- Vice Chair: Pamelya Herndon (D). District 28 (Bernalillo). Room 206B, 986-4248. Email: pamelya.herndon@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: Jenifer Jones (R). District 32 (Doña Ana, Hidalgo & Luna). Room 203A, 986-4227. Email: Jenifer.Jones@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Kathleen Cates (D). District 44 (Bernalillo & Sandoval). Room 203BN, 986-4254. Email: Kathleen.Cates@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Eleanor Chavez (D). District 26 (Bernalillo). Room 205B, 986-4242. Email: Eleanor.Chavez@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Joanne J. Ferrary (D). District 37 (Doña Ana). Room 314C, 986-4844. Email: joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Tara Jaramillo (D). District 38 (Doña Ana, Sierra & Socorro). Room 203AN, 986-4255. Email: Tara.Jaramillo@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Stefani Lord (R). District 22 (Bernalillo & Torrance). Room 203HN, 986-4453. Email: stefani.lord@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Reena Szczepanski (D). District 47 (Santa Fe). Room 134C, 986-4777. Email: reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Harlan Vincent (R). District 56 (Lincoln & Otero). Room 203FN, 986-4467. Email: Harlan.Vincent@nmlegis.gov
Copy and paste for bulk email: “Kathleen Cates” <Kathleen.Cates@nmlegis.gov>, “Eleanor Chavez” <Eleanor.Chavez@nmlegis.gov>, “Joanne J. Ferrary” <joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov>, “Pamelya Herndon” <pamelya.herndon@nmlegis.gov>, “Tara Jaramillo” <Tara.Jaramillo@nmlegis.gov>, “Jenifer Jones” <Jenifer.Jones@nmlegis.gov>, “Stefani Lord” <stefani.lord@nmlegis.gov>, “Reena Szczepanski” <reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov>, “Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson” <liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov>, “Harlan Vincent” <Harlan.Vincent@nmlegis.gov>
2. Also on Fri., Feb. 3 at 8:30 a.m., in Room 305, House Govt., Elections & Indian Affairs will hear HB 4 Voting Rights Protections, the omnibus voting rights bill. We don’t have talking points yet, but HB 4 would create a volunteer permanent absentee voter list, reinstate voting rights for felons as soon as they are released, make vote-by-mail more accessible, protect voting access for Native American communities, make Election Day a state holiday, and more.
Please call and email committee members today or Thursday to urge them to vote “YES” on HB 4. You can submit written comments via email, at least 24 hours before the hearing, to Angel Martinez at angel.martinez@nmlegis.gov and Patrick Gallegos at patrick.gallegos@nmlegis.gov. You can offer public comment in person at the hearing or via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81850374006. NOTE: This hearing is not yet posted on the nmlegis.gov committee schedules, but we assume the Zoom link is the same as to HGEIC’s last hearing. I hope it works! One tap mobile: +12532050468, 81850374006# or +12532158782, 81850374006# Webinar ID: 818 5037 4006. Or watch the hearing Webcast at this link.
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee
- Chair: D. Wonda Johnson (D). District 5 (McKinley & San Juan). Room 413D, 986-4236. Email: dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov
- Vice Chair: Natalie Figueroa (D). District 30 (Bernalillo). Room 203AN, 986-4255. Email: natalie.figueroa@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: Martin R. Zamora (R). District 63 (Curry, DeBaca, Guadalupe, Roosevelt & San Miguel). Room 203EN, 986-4211. Email: martin.zamora@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Janelle Anyanonu (D). District 19 (Bernalillo). Room 203BN, . Email: Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov
- Member: John Block (R). District 51 (Otero). Room 202B, 986-4220. Email: John.Block@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Gail Chasey (D). District 18 (Bernalillo). Room 134C, 986-4777. Email: gail@gailchasey.com
- Member: Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D). District 15 (Bernalillo). Room 312A, 986-4327. Email: dayan.hochman-vigil@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Charlotte Little (D). District 68 (Bernalillo). Room 203CN, 986-4254. Email: Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov
- Member: William “Bill” R. Rehm (R). District 31 (Bernalillo). Room 201B, 986-4214. Email: bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov
Copy and paste for bulk email: “Janelle Anyanonu” <Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov>, “John Block” <John.Block@nmlegis.gov>, “Gail Chasey” <gail@gailchasey.com>, “Natalie Figueroa” <natalie.figueroa@nmlegis.gov>, “Dayan Hochman-Vigil” <dayan.hochman-vigil@nmlegis.gov>, “D. Wonda Johnson” <dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov>, “Charlotte Little” <Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov>, “William “Bill” R. Rehm” <bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov>, “Martin R. Zamora” martin.zamora@nmlegis.gov
- One last reminder about tonight’s Huddle, 6-7 p.m. We hope you’ll join us. Register at this link.
- And tomorrow’s Zoom on the Green Amendment — even if you think you know what the Green Amendment is, we think you’ll learn something new and, better yet, be able to counter the misinformation you hear when you make a case for the bill! Register at this link.
One last note: If you’ve had trouble finding recorded hearings on the Webcast page at nmlegis.gov, open your window wider and look for the Home icon in the top left corner. Click on that icon to find “New Recordings,” which shows you the last few days of hearings, and “Recordings,” to access all recordings this Session.
Thanks so much for being part of this with us! Know that you are valued and appreciated!
In Gratitude and Solidarity,
Roxanne & Paul