2-6-21 Legislative Alert

2-6-21 Alert – Coming Up: Perm Fund for Early Childhood; Green Amendment; Amend Prod. Water Act; ERPO Changes; Pred. Lending Rates; ETA Amendment; Rural Opportunities

Good Saturday Morning New Mexico Activists:

We still have six weeks of this legislative session ahead of us, so take a deep breath, remind yourself how important your activism is, and know that you’re not alone in this effort. We are moving together toward social, economic, and environmental justice in New Mexico!

There are lots of new Transformational Bill hearings coming up, so please read carefully. There are also several Priority Bill hearings, which we told you about in yesterday’s Alert at this link.

NEW: Monday, Feb. 8, 8 a.m., the House Education Committee is scheduled to hear HJR 1 Permanent Fund for Early Childhood. Get talking points at the link in the bill name, and email committee members this weekend to urge them to support the bill. Contact into below. The link to join the Zoom is also below. Or you can watch the hearing via Webcast atnmlegis.gov.

Join the webinar at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84672132667. Or iPhone one-tap: US: +16699009128,,84672132667# or +12532158782,,84672132667# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, 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: 846 7213 2667.

House Education Committee (HEC)

NEW: Monday, Feb. 8. 9 a.m., the Senate Rules Committee is scheduled to finish hearing SJR 3 Environmental Rights Act (Green Amendment). Public comment was taken for SJR 3 at the Senate Rules hearing earlier this week, and what’s left is only legislator discussion and vote, no public comment on SJR 3. Also on the agenda is SB 100 Major & Minor Party Ballot Nominations (aka Fusion Voting), one of our Priority bills. Please call and email committee members and urge them to support these bills. If you want to participate to offer public comment on SB 100, follow the instructions below, or you can watch the hearing via Webcast at nmlegis.gov. Committee contact info is below.

For public participation send an email to SRC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. The deadline to respond is Sunday, February 7 at 4:00 p.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Rules Committee (SRC)

NEW: Tues., Feb. 9, 9 a.m., Senate Conservation is scheduled to hear SB 86 Use of Water for Oil & Gas Operations (amends the Produced Water Act). This bill has held over from previous hearings and is sure to be heard on Tuesday – it’s now 2nd on the agenda. Get talking points at the link above and use the contact info below to call and email committee members to urge them to support this bill. It’s unclear to us if you need to resubmit your request to offer public comment on this bill if you submitted it previously, so we recommend you contact the committee again to make sure you’re included. See instructions below and note the deadline is Monday at 3 p.m. Or you can watch the hearing via Webcast at nmlegis.gov.

For public participation send an email to SCONC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. The deadline to respond is Monday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Conservation Committee (SCONC)

NEW: Tues., Feb. 9, 1:30 p.m., the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee is scheduled to hear HB 193 Extreme Risk Protection Order Changes. An ERPO bill passed in 2019, but because of loopholes in the law not a single protective order has been issued, not a single gun removed from a gunowner at risk. This bill would amend the 2019 law. Please call and email committee members and ask them to support HB 193; contact info below. Use the link below to join the Zoom and raise your hand in support and offer public comment. Or watch the hearing via Webcast at nmlegis.gov.

Go to this link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89243737297. Or iPhone one-tap: US: +16699009128,,89243737297# or +12532158782,,89243737297# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, 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 4373 7297

House Consumer & Public Affair Committee (HCPAC)

NEW: Tues., Feb. 9, 1:30 p.m., Senate Tax, Business & Transportation Committee is scheduled to hear SB 66 Permitted Percentage Rates for Loans, a bill that would reduce the interest cap on predatory loans by 80%. Get talking points at the link above and please use the contact info below to call and email committee members to urge them to support this bill. Follow the instructions below if you want to participate in the Zoom and offer public comment. Or watch the hearing via Webcast at nmlegis.gov.

For public participation send an email to SCORC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. The deadline to respond is Tuesday, February 9 at 10:00 a.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Tax, Business & Transportation Committee (STBTC)

NEW: Thurs., Feb. 11, 9 a.m., Senate Conservation is scheduled to hear SB 155 Energy Transmission Authority Changes (amends the Energy Transition Act, ETA). With just a few precise amendments to protect consumers and restore PRC authority, the ETA can be a far better law. Get talking points at the link above. Please use the contact info below to call and email committee members to urge them to support this bill. To participate and offer public comment, please follow the instructions below. Or you can watch the hearing via Webcast at nmlegis.gov.

For public participation send an email to SCONC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. The deadline to respond is Wednesday, February 10 at 5:00 p.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions.

Senate Conservation Committee (SCONC)

REMINDER: Tues., Feb. 9, 9 a.m., the House Local Government, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee is scheduled to hear HB 16 Rural Opportunities Interim Committee. This bill would have significant impact on the quality of life for rural New Mexicans. You’ll find talking points at the link above, and you’ll find a link below to participate in the hearing via Zoom. Or you can watch the hearing by Webcast at nmlegis.gov. Please use the contact info below to call and email committee members to urge them to support this bill.

Go to this link to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89983253499  Or iPhone one-tap: US: +12532158782,,89983253499# or +13462487799,,89983253499# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 Webinar ID: 899 8325 3499

House Local Government, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee (HLELC)

You’ll find info on several Priority Bills scheduled to be heard this coming week in yesterday’s Alert at this link.

Thank you for being part of this movement!

In solidarity and hope,

Roxanne and Paul