2-25-21 Alert

5 Hearings on Friday, 1 so far on Saturday!

Rural Opportunities, Indian Child Welfare, Tax Reform, Predatory Lending Rate, Civil Rights, Legalize Cannabis

Good Afternoon New Mexico Activists:

We’re sending this Alert now because there are 5 hearings tomorrow (Friday) and we want to give you time to make calls and send emails this afternoon. There may be more hearings published this evening, so don’t be surprised if you get another Alert from us in the morning!

Please note that many of the Senate hearings are severely limiting public comment. A better strategy at this point is to submit written comments (300 words or less) roughly 24 hours in advance – deadlines vary by committee. Written comments are disseminated to all committee members in their hearing packet.

As usual, if you don’t want to participate by Zoom, you can watch the Webcasts at nmlegis.gov.

NEW: Fri., Feb. 28, 8 a.m., House State Govt., Elections & Indian Affairs: HB 16 Rural Opportunities Interim Committee. Get talking points at the link in the bill title, and please call and email committee members today to ask them to support this bill.Use this link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89283197941. Or iPhone one-tap: US: +16699009128, ,89283197941# or +12532158782,,89283197941# Or Telephone: 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: 892 8319 7941.

House State Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee (HSEIC)

NEW: Fri., Feb. 26, 8:30 a.m., House Health & Human Services: HB 209 State Indian Child Welfare Act. We don’t have detailed talking points, but HB 209 (and its companion bill in the Senate, SB 278) would protect Native American children so they can remain within their tribal communities and extended families. It would codify the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) into state law. The U.S. Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act into law in 1978, but it is too often not enforced, according to experts working on the state law. Please call and email committee members today to urge them to support this bill.

Use this link to join the webinar: 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.

House Health and Human Services Committee (HHHC)

NEW: Fri., Feb. 26, 8:30 a.m., House Taxation & Revenue Committee: HB 291 Tax Changes. This bill includes several fixes to our tax code to make it more fair and to raise more revenue from stable revenue sources so we are not so reliant on boom-or-bust oil and gas revenues. One of these changes is an increase in the personal income tax rate for those who earn the highest incomes. As our tax code stands now, those who earn $25,000 pay the same tax rate as those earning $250,000. HB 291 also calls for an increase in a tax credit for working families with children and an increase in a tax rebate that’s available to those with low incomes, including seniors. The bill would also limit the capital gains tax deduction. Together the bill puts more money in the pockets of low-income New Mexicans while increasing revenue for the state by closing loopholes. Go to this link to learn how advocating for tax and revenue reform requires different strategies. Please call and email committee members today to urge them to support HB 291.

Use this link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84898317503. Or iPhone one-tap: US: +13462487799,,84898317503# or +16699009128,,84898317503# 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: 848 9831 7503.

House Taxation & Revenue Committee (HTRC)

CARRIED OVER: Fri., Feb. 26, 12:30 p.m., Senate Judiciary: SB 66 Permitted Percentage Rates for Loans. This bill has been carried forward 3 or 4 times, so we hope they get to it on Friday!Please use the talking points in the link above to call and email committee members today or first thing in the morning to urge them to support this bill. Follow these instructions to participate in the hearing or submit written comments by today at 5 p.m: For public participation send an email to SJC@nmlegis.gov with Name, Organization Representing, Bill Number, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. If you wish to provide written comments, keep them to 300 words or less. Deadline to respond is by 5:00 PM the day before. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC)

NEW: Fri. Feb. 26, 1:30 (or ½ hr. after Floor Session ends), Senate Health & Public Affairs: HB 4 NM Civil Rights Act. HB 4 would establish a right of action against any public body or person representing a public body for violation of an individual’s rights, privileges, or immunities under the NM constitution. It would prohibit the defense of qualified immunity in such actions and waive the defense of sovereign immunity in such actions. It would also set a 3-year statute of limitations and require that public bodies keep records of final judgments and settlements for claims under the civil rights act. Please call and email committee members this afternoon or Friday morning to urge them to support HB 4. Please note new instructions for participating in the hearing below. The best strategy may be to submit written comments (300 words or less). You may not be called on to offer spoken public comment, but every committee member will receive your written comments.

For public participation, complete the registration form at this link https://ggle.io/3pe5. Deadline to respond is Thurs., Feb. 25 at 5:00 p.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with virtual meeting instructions. If you do not receive a response, check your “junk” email. Please note that if there is a high volume of requests for public comment not everyone who has registered may be able to speak. Written comments can be sent via email to SPAC@nmlegis.gov PLEASE KEEP THEM TO 300 WORDS OR LESS.

NEW: Sat., Feb. 27, 9 a.m., Senate Tax, Business & Transportation: SB 13, SB 288, and SB 363, all titled Cannabis Regulation Act. We’re letting you know about this hearing, but the best cannabis bill, and the one we’re supporting, is HB 12 Cannabis Regulation Act, sponsored by Rep. Javier Martinez. Part of the presentation at this hearing will be Rep. Martinez discussing his bill, HB 12. They will likely be sorting through and comparing these four bills, and we hope HB 12 comes out on top! Please call and email committee members before Saturday morning to urge them to support HB 12 over these other bills.

Follow these instructions to participate in the hearing: For Public Participation send an email to SCORC@nmlegis.gov with: Name, Entity Representing, Bill #, For or Against, and email address by Feb. 26, 2021 by 5:00 pm. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Tax, Business & Transportation Committee (STBTC)

We have just a little over three weeks remaining in this session. In the next day or two, we’ll be sending you an Alert about bills that have been stalled in committee and ask you to write to committee chairs to urge them to get these bills on the agenda. These bills will need a big push from us to make it over the finish line!

In solidarity and hope,

Roxanne and Paul

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