The New Mexico Legislation Session is in its final weeks. During this session, the following bills, resolutions, and memorials have been officially endorsed by Tewa Women United.
We encourage our community members to reach out to your Legislators and ask them to support and pass these bills before the 2023 session closes on March 18.
HB 7 “REPRODUCTIVE & GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE”
An act relating to health; protecting access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care; providing for enforcement; imposing penalties; prescribing relief.
Status as of March 7: Passed by the Senate, 23 – 15 vote. Headed back to the House for concurrence.
HB 43 “AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT POLICY IN SCHOOLS”
An act relating to education; requiring public schools and public and private post-secondary educational institutions to adopt policies and procedures addressing affirmative consent and prevention of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, harassment and stalking; amending the public school code to include a requirement to set affirmative consent as the standard for sexual activity.
Status as of March 5: This bill passed the House and is awaiting hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Action: Contact members of the SJC and ask them to schedule a hearing.
HJR 4 “ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS, CA”
A joint resolution proposing to amend the constitution of New Mexico by adding a new section of article 2 that provides the people of the state with environmental rights, including the right to clean and healthy air, water, soil and environments, a stable climate and self-sustaining ecosystems, and directs the state, counties and municipalities to serve as trustees of the natural resources of New Mexico for the benefit of all the people and by repealing the current pollution control provisions of article 20, section 21.
Status as of March 5: This bill is still in House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee.
SB 165 “LOCAL CHOICE ENERGY ACT”
An act relating to utilities; enacting the local choice energy act; authorizing customers of a public utility or cooperative to aggregate their electric loads in their local community as a local choice energy provider; providing powers and duties of local choice energy providers; requiring rulemaking; providing a penalty.
Status as of March 5: Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee with Do Pass recommendation with amendment(s).
SB 132 “STI PREVENTION & TREATMENT”
An act relating to health care; enacting sections of the health care purchasing act, the New Mexico insurance code, the health maintenance organization law and the nonprofit health care plan law to eliminate cost-sharing requirements for preventive care and treatment of sexually transmitted infection; providing that age does not impact ability to consent to preventive care.
Status as of March 8: The bill passed the Senate floor and passed the House Health & Human Services Committee
SJM 1 “IMPACT OF COVID-19”
A joint memorial recognizing the devastating impact of coronavirus disease 2019; honoring the sacrifices that essential workers have made to protect and save lives in their communities; declaring support for a permanent coronavirus disease 2019 memorial to be located in Bernalillo County on state trust lands to honor the victims of coronavirus disease 2019.
Status as of March 5: Awaiting hearing by Senate Rules Committee.
Other legislation of interest related to the Environment:
*HM 73 STUDY 4 CORNERS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
*SB 53 STORAGE OF CERTAIN RADIOACTIVE WASTE
HB 89 OIL & GAS DIVIDENDS TAX REBATES
HB 95 RENEWABLE ENERGY OFFICE IN STATE LAND OFFICE
HB 96 COMBINED CYCLE NATURAL GAS AS RENEWABLE
HB 121 WATER RIGHT LEASE EFFECTIVE DATE
SB 26 EXCESS OIL & GAS FUNDS TO SEVERANCE TAX FUND
SB 169 CLIMATE INVESTMENT CENTER & FUND
* high priority bills as determined by TWU staff
All bills are still in the process of making their way towards the end of the session and eventually making it to the Governor’s desk depending on the outcome of House and Senate floor votes.