2-10-23 Alert

Good Afternoon, New Mexico Activists:

We have two new hearings to tell you about on Monday and Tuesday, with bills on voting rights, modernizing the legislature, and reducing plastic waste. And we have a reminder about the Monday hearing on HB 25 Min. Wage Increase & Indexing.

NEW: On Mon., Feb. 13, 1:30 p.m., Room 309, House Judiciary will hear HB 4 Voting Rights Protections, HJR 2 Legislative Session Changes, and HJR 8 Legislative Salaries, in that order on the agenda. 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. HJR 2 would lengthen the even-numbered sessions to 60 days (currently 30 days), allow bills of all subjects — not only revenue and budget bills or those deemed “germane” by the Gov. — and add a 5-day recess in the middle of sessions. And HJR 8 would amend the constitution to allow for legislative salaries and create a 9-member citizen commission to establish, adjust, and limit salaries. Read why modernizing the legislature is essential to our state at this link to a Common Cause fact sheet.

Please call and email committee members today to urge them to vote “YES” on HB 4, HJR 2 and HJR 8. Offer public comment in person or via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81793611432.Or one tap mobile US: +12532050468, 81793611432# or +12532158782, 81793611432#. Webinar ID: 817 9361 1432. You may also submit written comment via email to lisa.mora@nmlegis.gov or melanie.granito@nmlegis.gov at least 24 hours before the hearing. We don’t know if this means literally 24 hours, which would be Sunday at 1:30, or “working hours,” which would mean today, and would be too late. But it’s worth emailing in any case, and they will likely take your comments.

House Judiciary Committee

Bulk email: “Eliseo Lee Alcon” <eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov>, “Christine Chandler” <christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov>, “Gail Chasey” <gail@gailchasey.com>, “T. Ryan Lane” <RYAN@LANEFORLIBERTY.COM>, “Javier Martínez” <javier.martinez@nmlegis.gov>, “Matthew McQueen” <matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov>, “Greg Nibert” <greg.nibert@nmlegis.gov>, “Andrea Reeb” <Andrea.Reeb@nmlegis.gov>, “William “Bill” R. Rehm” <bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov>, “Andrea Romero” <andrea@andrearomero.com>, “Reena Szczepanski” <reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov>

NEW: On Tues., Feb. 14, 9 a.m., Room 311, Senate Conservation will hear SB 243 Plastic Waste Reduction Act. This is an important bill, but it’s on our second-tier list so we don’t have talking points for you. Basically, SB 243 would prohibit retail establishments, restaurants, or delivery businesses from using single-use plastic bags or other containers that are not reusable or recyclable. You can read the bill text on nmlegis.gov at this link.

Please call and email committee member before Tuesday morning to urge them to vote “YES” on SB 243. You can offer public comment in person or via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7739881331, or via telephone at 1 253 215 8782. Meeting ID: 773 988 1331. You may also submit written comments via email to SCONC.Zoom@nmlegis.gov, which is usually required at least 24 hours before the hearing, so by Monday at 9 a.m.

Senate Conservation Committee

Bulk email: “Joseph Cervantes” <joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov>, “David M. Gallegos” <david@ramirezandsonsinc.com>, “Carrie Hamblen” <carrie.hamblen@nmlegis.gov>, “Steven P. Neville” <steven.neville@nmlegis.gov>, “Harold Pope” <harold.popejr@nmlegis.gov>, “Gregg Schmedes” <gregg.schmedes@nmlegis.gov>, “Antoinette Sedillo Lopez” <a.sedillolopez@nmlegis.gov>, “William P. Soules” <bill.soules@nmlegis.gov>, “Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics” <lstefanics@msn.com>

REMINDER: On Mon., Feb. 13, 1:30, Room 317, House Commerce & Economic Development will hear HB 25 Minimum Wage Increase & Indexing, the best of the minimum wage increase bills this year. HB 25 would raise the minimum wage from $12 to $16 an hour beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and beginning in 2025 indexes rises in the minimum wage to rises in the federal Consumer Price Index (CPI). The minimum wage for tipped workers (currently $3/hr.) will also be indexed. If the CPI decreases, the minimum wage does not decrease. You’ll find more talking points in the link at the bill title above.

Please call and email committee members to urge them to vote “YES” on HB 25. You can offer public comment in person or via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81561067239. Or one tap mobile US: +16694449171, 81561067239# or +16699009128, 81561067239. Webinar ID: 815 6106 7239.

House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

For bulk email: “Janelle Anyanonu” <Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov>, “Mark Duncan” <Mark.Duncan@nmlegis.gov>, “Doreen Y. Gallegos” <doreen.gallegos@nmlegis.gov>, “Joshua N. Hernandez” <joshua.hernandez@nmlegis.gov>, “Derrick J. Lente” <derrick.lente@nmlegis.gov>, “Charlotte Little” <Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov>, “Patricia A. Lundstrom” <patricia.lundstrom@nmlegis.gov>, “Alan T. Martinez” <Alan.Martinez@nmlegis.gov>, “Jimmy G. Mason” <Jimmy.Mason@nmlegis.gov>, “Marian Matthews” <marian.matthews@nmlegis.gov>, “Linda Serrato” <linda.serrato@nmlegis.gov>

We don’t like asking you to do this work on the weekend, but it’s basically almost 24/7 at this point if we want to get legislation passed! Thank you for all you do.

In Gratitude & Solidarity,

Roxanne and Paul

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