Good morning, New Mexico activists:

Our advocacy work at the state level is more important than ever now that we have a U.S. Supreme Court that seems determined to take away our rights. Passing legislation that protects the people, land, air, and water of New Mexico is essential to countering this national threat. (I never thought I’d call the SCOTUS a national threat!)

We need to educate ourselves so that we can be more effective advocates and be prepared to share what we know with others. We all need good information to make good decisions. So, today we want to tell you about upcoming Webinars we’re hosting and several interim committee meetings where we have the opportunity to learn what our legislators are learning.

July Webinars

Weds., July 13, 6-7:30 p.m., a Zoom Webinar onGun Violence Prevention with Miranda Viscoli, Co-President of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, and a student activist from Albuquerque. We’ll discuss what we want from the legislature in 2023 and the advocacy strategies needed to achieve it. Please join us! To participate, please register at this link.

Weds., July 27, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a Zoom Webinar onModernizing Our Legislature: Paid Staff, Longer Session, Paid Legislators, with Representatives Angelica Rubio from Las Cruces and Kristina Ortez from Taos, Indivisible activist Ricann Bock, and the Co-Founder of Legislative Momentum, Cara Lynch. We’ll discuss why we need this reform and how we can help make it happen. Please join us! To participate, please register at this link.

Interim Committee Meetings

1. July 5-6, Room 322 at the Roundhouse, Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee. Tax policy and revenue sources impact our everyday lives in so many ways! Agenda topics include a state tax policy overview, an overview and discussion of issues related to the gross receipts tax, and a discussion of our state’s tax structure compared to other states. Read the full agenda at this link. This committee does not take public comment, but written comments may be emailed to Pat.Stokes@nmlegis.gov. Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the Roundhouse. Find the committee’s 2022 work plan and meeting schedule at this link.
    
2. July 7, Room 322, at the Roundhouse, Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee. A discussion of a Public Bank for our state is scheduled at 10:45 a.m. Public comment is at 3:45 p.m.  Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the Roundhouse. Read the full agenda at this link. (NOTE: You cannot make public comment via Webcast, only in person) Find the committee’s 2022 work plan and meeting schedule at this link.
    
3. July 7-8 at UNM’s Science & Technology Park Rotunda, 801 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque,  Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee. Agenda topics include Water Challenges – Resilience to an Increasingly Arid and Variable Climate, Advanced Manufacturing – Energy Power Mgmt. for Renewables and Recruitment of Industry, and more. Read the full agenda at this link. Public comment is at noon on Friday, July 8. Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the address above. Find the committee’s 2022 work plan and meeting schedule at this link.
    
4. July 11-13, UNM’s Continuing Education Bldg, Rooms B and C, 1634 University Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, Legislative Health & Human Services Committee. The agenda includes several reports on behavioral health in our state: Strengthening Behavioral Health Systems, Preventing and Treating Sexual Assault, Naturopathic Medicine and Behavioral Health, Psychedelic Therapy, and more. Read the full agenda at this link. Public comment is at 11:45 a.m., Monday, July 11. Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the address above. Find the committee’s 2022 work plan and meeting schedule at this link.
    
5. July 14-15, Student Union Building Ballroom, Highlands University, 1005 Diamond St., Las Vegas, Economic Development & Policy Committee. The agenda includes Economic Consequences & Opportunities Created by Changes to the Climate: Recovery, Reforestation and Resiliency; New Mexico Water Law 101, and more. Read the full agenda at this link. Public comment is Thurs. at 4:30 p.m. and Fri. at 3 p.m. Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the address above. Find the committee’s 2022 work plan and meeting schedule at this link.
    
6. July 20-22, Western NM University, 1000 W. College Ave., Silver City, Legislative Finance Committee. The agenda includes Update on Forest Fires, Recovery Efforts, and Long-Term Impacts; Economic, Oil & Gas Outlook; Reducing Violent Crime; and more. Read the full agenda at this link. Watch the meeting via Webcast at this link or attend in person at the address above. It’s unclear if public comment will be taken – there is no public comment period on the agenda.

You’ll find a list of all Interim Committee meetings to be scheduled over the next several months at this link. Check back regularly as meetings are added to the schedule every few weeks.

Working America
Though Retake tends to focus our work locally and statewide, in case you’re feeling the urge to do something that might have a national impact, we want to tell you about Working America and their Fall 2022 Letter Program, which kicks off on Weds., July 6, from 5-6 p.m. Working America is building a progressive, working-class movement by promoting issues on behalf of working families across the U.S., reaching out to voters in key states with letter-writing and canvassing. Through this next campaign, they plan to send 1+ million letters by mid-October. If you’re interested in participating, register for Wednesday’s Kick-Off Call at this link.

Messengers for Democracy
As I mentioned at the beginning of this Alert, the conservative national threat to our rights, and to our democracy itself, makes it essential that we continue giving everything we’ve got to protect our rights and our democracy here in New Mexico. In addition to our own activism, we all need to become messengers for democracy. What does this mean? It means stepping outside your comfort zone and speaking to friends, family, and co-workers about the issues and candidates you support and why. No, not your right-wing uncle or neighbor, but the people you know who respect your opinion and may need a little nudge to participate more fully in our democracy. The only way we can save our democracy is to get as many people participating as possible. Please encourage friends and family to join us. The stakes are getting higher every year. Paul will talk more about this is Sunday’s blog.

If you missed last week’s Alert, you’ll find all of our Alerts at this link.

That’s all for today. Please send us your questions and comments to retakeresponse@gmail.com.

In Solidarity and Hope,
Roxanne & Paul