NM HCPAC Tables All Three Anti-Marriage Equality DOMA Bills on 3-2 Party-Line Vote

Well done Dem Reps. Gail Chasey, Moe Maestas and Bill O'Neill! The New Mexico House Consumer Public Affairs Committee (HCPAC) took up three DOMA-related bills early this evening. All three were tabled by a vote of 3-2, along party lines. Naturally, the Republicans voted against tabling and the Dems voted for it.

There reportedly were about twice as many anti-DOMA attendees at the hearing as pro-DOMA zealots. Good job by Equality New Mexico in getting a good turnout! The right-wingers trotted out their usual illogical and insulting arguments against marriage equality. You all know what they are by now. They're getting very stale.

HJR 7, sponsored by the kookie Rep. Nora Espinoza (R-Roswell) and HJR 8, sponsored by right-wing ideologue Rep. David Chavez (R-Los Lunas) are both essentially DOMA bills that propose state constitutional amendments to limit marriage to "one man and one woman" (and no dogs or cows allowed). Chavez's bill also would expressly bar the recognition of same sex marriages or civil unions from another jurisdiction.

HB 162, also sponsored by Rep. David Chavez (he's afraid, very afraid), would make same sex marriages, civil unions, or other similar relationships that are valid in another state void in New Mexico. The provisions of the bill would apply retroactively.

It's very unlikely that the tabled bills will be resurrected in the House this year. On the Senate side, SJR 4, sponsored by the always-ready-to-make-political-hay-out-of-LGBT-bigotry Sen. William Sharer (R-Farmington), is another DOMA bill. It's a duplicate of HJR 7 and is waiting for a hearing in the Senate Rules Committee (SRC). Dems outnumber Repubs in SRC by a margin of 6-3, although several of the Dems are considered to be conserva-Dems.

See my earlier for more information on these bills.