Good Morning, New Mexico Activists:
New hearings include SB 53 Storage of Certain Radioactive Waste on Monday afternoon, and SB 165 Local Choice Energy on Tuesday morning. In case you missed previous Alerts about Mon-Tues hearings, you can find hearing info on modernizing the legislature (extended sessions and salaries for legislators), and gun violence prevention bills in the 2-2-23 and 2-3-23 Alerts at this link.
On Mon., Feb. 6, 1:30 pm. (or ½ hr. after Senate floor session ends), Senate Judiciary will hear SB 53 Storage of Certain Radioactive Waste. SB 53, introduced by Sen. Jeff Steinborn, would amend our state’s Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Act to prohibit state agencies from issuing permits to store high-level radioactive waste. You’ll find talking points in the link in the bill title above. Please email committee members today and call on Monday morning to urge them to vote “YES” on SB 53.
You can offer public comment in person or via Zoom at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/361365786. Or via telephone at 1 253 205 0468. Meeting ID 361 636 5786. You can email written comments to SJC.Zoom@nmlegis.gov, but you must do so 24 hours in advance, so before 1:30 p.m. today, Sunday.
Senate Judiciary Committee
- Chair: Joseph Cervantes (D). District 31 (Doña Ana). Room 319, 986-4861. Email: joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov
- Vice Chair: Katy M. Duhigg (D). District 10 (Bernalillo & Sandoval). Room 300B, 986-4726. Email: katy.duhigg@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: Cliff R. Pirtle (R). District 32 (Chaves, Eddy & Otero). Room 414D, 986-4369. Email: cliff.pirtle@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Gregory A. Baca (R). District 29 (Bernalillo & Valencia). Room 109A, 986-4877. Email: greg.baca@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Daniel A. Ivey-Soto (D). District 15 (Bernalillo). Room 320A, 986-4270. Email: daniel.ivey-soto@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Mark Moores (R). District 21 (Bernalillo). Room 109C, . Email: mark.moores@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Bill B. O’Neill (D). District 13 (Bernalillo). Room 300D, 986-4260. Email: oneillsd13@billoneillfornm.com
- Member: Mimi Stewart (D). District 17 (Bernalillo). Room 105A, 986-4734. Email: mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Peter Wirth (D). District 25 (Santa Fe). Room 119, 986-4727. Email: peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov
Bulk email: “Gregory A. Baca” <greg.baca@nmlegis.gov>, “Joseph Cervantes” <joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov>, “Katy M. Duhigg” <katy.duhigg@nmlegis.gov>, “Daniel A. Ivey-Soto” <daniel.ivey-soto@nmlegis.gov>, “Mark Moores” <mark.moores@nmlegis.gov>, “Bill B. O’Neill” <oneillsd13@billoneillfornm.com>, “Cliff R. Pirtle” <cliff.pirtle@nmlegis.gov>, “Mimi Stewart” <mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov>, “Peter Wirth” <peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov>
On Tues., Feb. 7, 9 a.m. in Room 311, Senate Conservation will hear SB 165 Local Choice Energy Act and a number of other environment-related bills. SB 165, introduced by Sen. Carrie Hamblen, changes state law to allow municipalities the option to choose their electricity generation sources and expand energy options for tribal nations, while saving money for ratepayers. You’ll find talking points in the link in the bill title above. Please email committee members today and call on Monday morning to urge them to vote “YES” on SB 165.
If you want to submit written comments, please email SCONC.Zoom@nmlegis.gov 24 hours in advance, by Monday at 9 a.m. You can offer public comment in person or via Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7739881331. Or via telephone at 1 253 215 8782. Meeting ID: 773 988 1331.
Senate Conservation Committee
- Chair: Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics (D). District 39 (Bernalillo, Lincoln, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance & Valencia). Room 328B, 986-4377. Email: lstefanics@msn.com
- Vice Chair: Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (D). District 16 (Bernalillo). Room 218C, 986-4389. Email: a.sedillolopez@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: David M. Gallegos (R). District 41 (Eddy & Lea). Room 415A, 986-4278. Email: david@ramirezandsonsinc.com
- Member: Joseph Cervantes (D). District 31 (Doña Ana). Room 319, 986-4861. Email: joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Carrie Hamblen (D). District 38 (Doña Ana). Room 416G, 986-4266. Email: carrie.hamblen@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Steven P. Neville (R). District 2 (San Juan). Room 415B, 986-4701. Email: steven.neville@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Harold Pope (D). District 23 (Bernalillo). Room 416E, 986-4365. Email: harold.popejr@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Gregg Schmedes (R). District 19 (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe & Torrance). Room 415F, 986-4395. Email: gregg.schmedes@nmlegis.gov
- Member: William P. Soules (D). District 37 (Doña Ana). Room 328C, 986-4834. Email: bill.soules@nmlegis.gov
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>
We’ve heard that House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs will finish hearing HB 4 Voting Rights Protections on Wednesday, but nothing is posted yet, so we’ll let you know as soon as we see something. If you didn’t write to the committee last week, you can do so before the Wednesday hearing. Email and call to urge them to vote “YES” on HB 4. 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.
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
Don’t forget to join us on Wednesday evenings for our Legislative Huddles! Use this link to register for Feb. 8, 6-7 p.m. We’ll take stock of where we are, a little more than two weeks into the Session.We hope to see you there!
In Gratitude and Solidarity,
Roxanne & Paul