3-18-21 Alert

Bills on House/Senate Floor for Final Vote: Redistricting, Air Quality, Roxy’s Law, Radioactive Waste, Rural Opportunity, Paid Sick Leave, Financial Literacy, Perm Fund, Leg. Changes

Good Morning New Mexico Activists:

As Paul likes to say, “we’re running on fumes,” and we imagine many of you are as well at this point. But there are just 2-and-a-half days left! There are almost no committee hearings scheduled – most everything that’s going to make it is on the House or Senate Floor Calendar. So today we tell you what actions to take to get those bills passed and on to the Governor’s desk, and we update you on a few other developments. Please be patient and read through to the end. Thank you!

First, a few bills that recently passed:

  • HB 4 NM Civil Rights Act passed the Senate Floor last night 26:15 and the House concurred with Senate Amendments.
  • SB 66 Permitted Percentage Rates for Loans passed on the House Floor last night 52:16, and now goes to Senate Concurrence on the many amendments. Unfortunately, the interest rate ceiling on loans up to $1,100 was raised to 99%, though the 36% ceiling will apply to loans over $1,100. Sadly, more than half of storefront lender loans are under $1,100.
  • SB 84 Community Solar Act also passed on the House Floor last night 44:3 (Republicans walked out) and now goes to Senate Concurrence. Regrettably, this bill was horribly gutted by utility-friendly amendments.

Here’s what’s on today’s Floor Calendars:

Senate Floor Calendar (starts at 11 a.m. today)

  • HB 20 Healthy Workplaces Act (paid sick leave)
  • HB 163 School Financial Mgmt. Classes
  • HJR 1 Permanent Fund for Early Childhood
  • HJR 13 Legislative Session Changes (Extends even-number leg. Sessions to 45 days and removes restrictions on bills that may be heard.)

Please contact Senate Leader Peter Wirth and urge him to get these bills passed!
Peter Wirth, peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov, 505-397-8855
Also contact your own Senator with the same message. Get your Senator’s contact info at this link.

House Floor Calendar (starts at 1 p.m. today)

  • SB 8 Local Govt. Air Quality Regulations
  • SB 15 Redistricting Committee
  • SB 32 Wildlife Conservation & Public Safety (Roxy’s Law)
  • SB 82 Radioactive Waste Consultation Task Force
  • HM 33 Rural Opportunity Interim Committee (substitute for HB 16)

Please contact House Speaker Brian Egolf and urge him to get these bills passed!
Brian Egolf, brian.egolf@nmlegis.gov, 505-986-4782
Also contact your own Rep. with the same message. Get your House Rep contact info at this link.

Keep your message simple by saying, or putting in the subject line, “Please pass (BILL NAMEs AND #s) today!”

And we note that HB 12 Cannabis Regulation Act passed Senate Judiciary last night and is now headed to the Senate Floor for a final vote, though it’s not appearing yet on the Calendar. Stay tuned.

This morning Senate Finance heard and passed HB 15 Sustainable Bldg. Tax Credit. We think they will reconvene to hear HB 291 Tax Changes today. The hearing will likely be in the late afternoon or early evening, but we can’t be sure. In the meantime, you can call and email committee members to urge them to support this bill. Keep your message simple: “Please pass HB 291, retain the bill’s progressivity and keep the tax credits for low-income children and families.”

Senate Finance Committee (SFC)

There are two House Bills at their final committee stop in Senate Judiciary, and they could still get to a final vote on the Senate Floor if Senate Judiciary hears them immediately: HB 111 Housing Discrimination Changes and HB 209 State Indian Child Welfare Act. There is no hearing schedule published, but please call and email committee members to urge them to pass these bills. Again, keep your message simple: Please pass HB 111 and HB 209!

Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC)

We’re in the last half mile of this marathon, so we can’t give up now. Thank you for running with us these last two months!

In solidarity, gratitude, and hope,

Roxanne and Paul

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