All ten Retake Priority Bills have passed through committees and the pace is quickening with hearings slated for Saturday already. DNC is at it again & progressives are mad & Supreme Court rules on ETA-PRC.
Roundhouse Roundup
We continue to enjoy one win after another as all of these bills have passed through committee hearings with surprising ease:
- SB 5 Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order passed along party lines in Senate Public Affairs, although there appear to be a number of fixes needed, fixes promised by bill sponsor, Sen. Cervantes.
- SB 115 / HB 160 Cannabis Regulation Act, the bill that will legalize recreational cannabis in NM.
- SB 1 Wholesale Prescription Drugs passed through Senate Public Affairs would allow the state to set up a system to purchase prescription drugs from Canada.
- SB 4 Complete Count in 2020 Census. This bill passed unanimously in both Senate Public Affairs and the next day passed through Senate Finance. It was heard the next day on the Senate floor. Talk about speedy. It is seeking emergency funding as the census count ends before funding would otherwise be released. As such, it must receive a 2/3 vote in both chambers. Stay tuned.
- SB 5 Individual Development Account. Passed through Senate Public Affairs.
- SB 29 Solar Market Development Tax Credit sailed through Senate Corporations and Transportation.
- HB 25 Pregnant Worker Accommodation passed in House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs.
- HB 65 School Based Health Clinics passed House Health & Human Services.
- HB 100 Health Insurance Exchange Changes passed through Health & Human Services
- HJR 1 Permanent Fund for Early Childhood passed through both House Commerce and Economic Development and House Education
If you want to keep current on our bills go to our 2020 Legislative Priorities,. It has a complete list with a link to bill summaries and with status report on how bills have fared in committee and where they are headed next.
If you want to receive action alerts before any of our bills are going to be heard, click the “Get Legislative Alerts” button on the right of the home page. Alerts include bill summaries, speaking points and contact info for legislators who will be voting on the bills. Get in the game!!! Check our what one subscriber to the alert wrote us.
I personally sent out over 250 emails on various bills because you made it so easy. I also made phone calls, again because you provided all the information to do so. I can’t leave my home to go to the RH but I felt so involved this year and involved others as well.”
Karen St. Clair, Santa Fe
Democratic National Committee Is At It Again
The chart at left points to the level of support among Americans for some key progressive priorities. The chart at left could include many more progressive policies that are supported by a majority of Americans and suppressed by centrist Democrats.
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are each candidates who support these kinds of priorities. Yet according to multiple reports, the DNC is at it again, appointing conservative Democrats to key DNC committees including the National Convention Committee and the Platform Committee. The Democratic powers-that-be simply refuse to respond to the will of the majority of Americans.
We reported on Tuesday on ways in which progressives can support either Warren or Sanders and we suggested that despite their doing so well in the polls, some in the Democratic Party are clearly not happy. This is why it is so important you help the candidate of your choice. By the time NM votes in June, the race may well be over, you can help your candidate in key states right now.
Supreme Court Offers Odd Ruling on ETA-PRC
The Supreme Court ruled that the PRC must rule on the San Juan Generating Station within the constraints of the ETA, essentially giving PNM the right to determine costs for the transition without the PRC approving their estimates AND ratepayers pay 100% of the costs. Not a good day for ratepayers. We will have more on this once we’ve had time to review the written opinion from the court.
Dar Jamail at Collected Works, Sunday at 11
Sunday, Feb 2, 11am. Journey Santa Fe at Collected Works, 202 Galisteo. Award-winning climate journalist Dar Jamail will be in Santa Fe and will appear at Journey Santa Fe, with Mariel Nanasi, New Energy Economy Executive Director emceeing. Jamail is one of the best writers today writing about the climate crisis. He is unflinchingly honest about where we stand in relation to the climate crisis, so expect a very frank discussion of where we are and what we need to do as individuals, as a community and as a movement. If you’d like a preview…..
The Long Sorry Ten Year Journey to a Climate Crisis: A Legacy of Inaction
Several readers highly recommended a blog by Sharon Kelly. Her post lays out in detail how various policies and extraction practices over the past ten years have landed us in the climate crisis we currently face. It makes clear an endless number of missed opportunities and decisions that set aside harm to our planet in favor of thirst for profit. Click here to read this very thorough analysis.
In solidarity,
Paul & Roxanne
Categories: Uncategorized
my precinct is meeting this saturday, have you written a column re; congressional district #3 demo party primary candidates? who is opposing my state sen. richard martinez in the primary? thanks for all your great & dedicated work! marge johnson
Teresa Leger Fernandez is one of the candidates. She was born and raised in Las Vegas NM and knows northern New Mexico well. She is a lawyer who has worked on voting rights cases nationwide. She was the brilliant lawyer who argued the case that got us ranked choice voting in Santa Fe. She has my vote.
I understand that Leo Jaramillo is running in the primary for NM State Senator in District 5 (against incumbent Richard Martinez).