2-11-21 Alert

Big Day Saturday: ETA Amendments, Fracking Ban, Legalize Cannabis, Food-Hunger-Farm Act, End-of-Life Options

NOTE (2-13-21): HB 207 Food, Hunger & Farm Act has been postponed to Tues., Feb. 16, 8:30 a.m.

First, we want you to know that SB 155 Transmission Authority Changes (ETA amendments) has been postponed until Saturday morning. It will not be heard today in Senate Conservation. If you submitted a request to Senate Conservation to participate and offer public comment, we don’t know if that will be carried over to Saturday, so you may want to submit again to be sure, noting that you’d submitted previously. You’ll need to do that before 5 p.m. on Friday. See instructions below.

So, we have four big hearings on Saturday:

Sat., Feb. 13, 9 a.m. Senate Conservation: SB 155 Energy Transmission Authority Changes, amends the Energy Transition Act (ETA), first on the agenda. Get talking points at the link above, or read a more detailed explanation in our blog at this link. Second on the agenda is SB 149 Prohibit New Fracking Licenses. This bill would halt the issuance of new permits allowing hydraulic fracturing for the purpose of extracting oil or natural gas until 6/1/25. The State would be required to provide annual recommendations for legislation and regulation regarding hydraulic fracturing, and report annually on the number of active permits and applications, and trends for methane and greenhouse gas emissions. They would also report annually on actual and potential impacts on agriculture, environment, public health, public transportation infrastructure, surface and ground waters, tribal governments, trust lands, and allotted landowners; and report on workers comp claims filed for injuries due to employment and the number of workers performing work.

Please call and email committee members right away and ask them to support SB 155 and SB 149. Watch the Webcast at nmlegis.gov or follow these instructions from the committee: For public participation send an email to SCONC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Representing, Bill #, For or Against and an email address by Friday, February 12, 5:00 p.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with virtual meeting instructions.

NOTE: Senators Stefanics and Sedillo Lopez are sponsors of SB 155, and Sedillo Lopez is a sponsor of SB 149, so there’s no need to write to them unless you want to thank them.

Senate Conservation Committee (SCONC)

Sat., Feb. 13, 10 a.m. House Health & Human Services: HB 12 and HB 17 Cannabis Regulation Act (same name for both). There are four cannabis legalization bills that we’re sorting through: the two above and SB 13 and SB 288. Based on sponsors alone, it looks like HB 12 is the one to support (Reps. Javier Martinez, Andrea Romero, Deb Armstrong). And we’ve just learned from the Drug Policy Alliance that HB 12 is the only one of the four bills that has justice and equity at its core. Get general talking points at the link above and please call and email committee members before Saturday morning. Watch the Webcast at nmlegis.gov, or join the webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89853256841. Or iPhone one-tap: US: +13462487799,,89853256841# or +16699009128,,89853256841# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 898 5325 6841.

NOTE: Rep. Armstrong is an HB 12 sponsor, so there’s no need to write to her unless you’d like to thank her.

House Health and Human Services Committee (HHHC)

POSTPONED TO TUES., FEB. 16, 8:30 a.m. Sat., Feb. 13, 1 p.m. House Agriculture & Water Resources: HB 207 Food, Hunger & Farm Act. This bill would launch a massive statewide effort to address hunger, malnutrition, and food and water insecurity in our state. Get talking points at the link above, and please call and email committee members before Saturday to urge them to support the bill. Watch the hearing Webcast at nmlegis.gov, or join the webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82072641109 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +16699009128,,82072641109# or +12532158782,,82072641109# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +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: 820 7264 1109.

House Agriculture & Water Resource Committee (HAGC)

Sat., Feb.13, 2 p.m. House Judiciary: HB 47 Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act. Get talking points at the link above and please call and email committee members today or Friday to ask them to support the bill. Watch the Webcast at nmlegis.gov, or join the webinar here to offer public comment or raise your hand in support of the bill: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89543370073  Or iPhone one-tap: US: +16699009128,, 89543370073# or +12532158782,,89543370073# Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +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: 895 4337 0073.

NOTE: Rep. Armstrong is a sponsor of HB 47, so there’s no need to contact her unless you want to thank her.

House Judiciary Committee (HJC)

You may want to scan the House Floor Calendar at this link for bills coming up for a vote. And today’s Senate Floor Calendar includes SB 10 Repeal Abortion ban. There’s no public comment on floor sessions, but you can call and write to your own Rep. or Senator to ask them to support the bills you care about.

Know that your advocacy is valued and appreciated. The more of us who are active, the closer we get to social, economic, and environmental justice. Please write to us at retakeresponse@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments about this process.

In solidarity and hope,

Roxanne and Paul

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