Democracy for New Mexico

Not Alone

Our steadfast Dem Senator Dede Feldman has a post and a podcast on her blog laying out her views on what she calls the "Standoff at the OK Corral - NM Style." Apparently, I'm not alone in believing that the legislation proposed by Governor Richardson for the Special Legislative Session -- especially the campaign and ethics reform and domestic partnership bills -- are important and need passage NOW. She urges folks who want to see the Senate take action tomorrow, instead of merely thumbing their noses, to contact their Senators, as well as this list of "renegades" who don't seem to get the need for reform:

Sen. Lopez Linda.Lopez@nmlegis.gov  phone:986-4737
Sen. Pinto John.Pinto@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4835
Sen. John Arthur Smith john.smith@nmlegis.gov phone:986-4363
Sen. Michael Sanchez senatormssanchez@aol.com phone: 986-4727
Sen. James Taylor jamesg.taylor@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4862
Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, especially. bernadette.sanchez@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4267

NM Senate: Will They Stay or Will They Go?

Kate Nash at the Albuquerque Tribune says:

Word is that the Senate is expected to come back to Santa Fe at 9 a.m. [Saturday] to caucus and then reconvene at 10. We'll see how that goes. At the conference, Richardson said he wants to see the Senate to do the work the House did Wednesday night. I'd say it's up in the air right now as to whether they will stay. Senate President Ben Altamirano says he thinks the votes are there; I just talked to Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson, who said the votes are there to leave . . .

This morning, an Albuquerque Journal article quoted Sen. Altamirano on the prospects of Senate action Saturday:

"I can almost say I'm positive we can go in there and get the Senate together," said Senate President Pro Tem Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City. But he said staying in session doesn't guarantee passage of the governor's agenda. "(Richardson) said that all he wanted is an up-or-down vote," Altamirano said. "If the guy wants an up-or-down vote on those bills, it's time we gave it to him."

Senators Griego and Altamirano also said a voter backlash might develop if the Senate again adjourned without voting on anything:

...  Altamirano and Sen. Phil Griego, D-San Jose, another Richardson ally, said they believe there could be a voter backlash if the Senate calls another adjournment. "Another turn of events would turn the general public against us," Altamirano said.

The most positive news was that the Senate might pass a couple of bills tomorrow, including the domestic partnership bill that failed in the Senate by a few votes near the end of the regular Session:

While he is willing to meet, Griego said he doesn't believe there are enough votes to pass measures that cost money— such as the $208 million highway package and the ethics commission. But he said he's hoping for a compromise: Pass the domestic partners bill, and possibly a House-approved measure to increase the penalties for domestic violence ... [emphasis mine]

We can only hope that everyone involved stops using the domestic partnership legislation as a political football and instead do what's right for a significant number of New Mexican citizens who have long been striving to obtain the most basic of civil law protections for themselves and their families.

To access the archive of all our posts on the 2007 Legislature, click here.

To read our archive of posts on the domestic partnership act, click here.

NM House Up All Night, Passes All But One Bill

Members of the New Mexico House stayed up all night in a seven-hour marathon on the House Floor to pass all but one of the bills Gov. Richardson included in his proclamation calling the Special Session. Thank you and congratulations to our Dem Representatives for sticking to business! We know it wasn't any fun with Rep. Dan Foley and other Repubs reportedly interrupting the floor action, interjecting insults and introducing motions to adjourn. Luckily, they couldn't make any headway in the face of Dem unity.

The only bill left for the House to pass would limit campaign contributions. A long debate focused on whether the limits should apply to PACs as well as individual donors. This morning, House Speaker Ben Lujan called a recess, subject to the call of the chair to reconvene at any time. It's not known if they will meet again later today to try and pass the remaining campaign finance bill.

The bills are now headed to the Senate, which is adjourned in protest, but must reconvene on Saturday according to legislative rules. Various Senators are threatening to call another adjournment on Saturday, which would give them another three days before they meet again, but only if the House stays in session. Again, let's hope for the sake of New Mexicans that the balking Senators come to their senses, abandon their rebellion against the Governor and vote on the bills quickly. We get the point, Senators. You're displeased that Gov. Richardson called the Special Session so soon after a grueling regular session and then left the state for campaign events. Now could we please move on to the business of the Senate?

Here are links to the bills passed by the House in the Special Session, along with vote tallies:

HB 1, Feed Bill: Passed 47-13

HB 2, Severance Tax Bond Transporation Projects (GRIP II): Passed 42-16

HB 3, Clandestine Drug Lab Act: Passed 55-0

HB 4, Domestic Partnership Rights and Responsbilities: Passed 30-23

HB 5, Domestic Violence Penalties and Treatment: Passed 56-0

HB 6, Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns: Passed 35-21

HB 8, State Ethics Commission Act: Passed 38-16

Not yet passed by House in Special Session:

HB 7, Campaign Reporting Requirements: Passed House Judiciary Committee 8-0

More coverage available at the Santa Fe New Mexican and Heath Haussamen.

(Updated) NM House Keeps Working in Special Session

UPDATE 5:30 PM: I've heard tonight the House will try to hear all the bills to be considered during the Special Session, starting at 7:00 PM.
*********
In a running update, Kate Nash reports the NM House is in still in session after reconvening at approximately 2:30 PM today. If they continue to work, the NM Senate will be forced to reconvene on Saturday, after adjourning yesterday in protest of Governor Richardson's call for a Special Session. Is it too much to hope they can pass some bills before making another stand?

According to an Albuquerque Tribune article, eight Democratic Senators voted with Republicans to adjourn yesterday. I can imagine which ones, can't you? As to the importance of the bills on the Governor's proclamation:

Sen. Linda Lopez, an Albuquerque Democrat, made the motion to adjourn. "It's not a health, life-or-death situation," she said after the vote. "It can wait until the next legislative session."

No problem if it's not YOUR civil rights, or you've been blocking ethics and campaign reform the entire session. Meanwhile some Republicans were rumored to be planning to introduce a bill to institute a constitutional ban on domestic partnership agreements, a move that would need ratification by New Mexico voters.

How would you like your rights under civil law put to a vote? Strange that in a republic based on ensuring the rights of minorities and the separation of church and state, this is the kind of anti-American proposal being made by members of a Party always harping on patriotism and the Constitution. I guess they haven't read it carefully, if at all. If they're good at anything, it's cherry picking -- whether it's passages from the Bible, intelligence on WMDs or the U.S. Constitution.

Meanwhile, the domestic partnership act (HB 4) was passed by the House Judiciary Committee yesterday and is headed to the House floor. It was already passed by the NM House during the regular Session:

Linda Siegle, a lobbyist for the Equality New Mexico PAC and other groups, said she's glad to see the issue on the special session agenda - but her group didn't request it be done now.

"We did not request it of the governor for the special session. The governor did it on his own, and we're grateful for that." But, she said, the bill is crucial. "This is a very important bill for people's families to have rights and responsibilities and protection," she said.

Let's hope Senate Democrats manage to lose their attitudes and at least approve this bill. Families all over New Mexico are holding their breath. It's like that when your basic civil rights and the stability of your lives are at stake.

NM Senate Quits Special Session in a Tizzy, at Least for Now

Bottom line: the NM House can call the Senate back after three days, if they so choose. If not, it's all over. Kate Nash provides a day-long play-by-play and reports:

5:57 Sen. Linda Lopez just moved the Senate adjourn SINE DIE. It passed. But there is a challenge to the ruling, which was on a voice vote ... The vote was upheld. The Senate is out of here on a vote of 24-14 ... House committees have passed several bills, including the domestic partnership measure and the GRIP II road construction bill.

Oh, who cares about that, especially whether all our citizens have a semblance of parity under civil law? As the NM Repub Party news release puts it, in their typically sleazy, schoolyard style:

Special Session – Gov. Richardson’s “Domestic Partner” Agenda Spells Gay and Lesbian Votes in California: Gov. Richardson’s hastily called Special Session of the Legislature is a thinly disguised attempt to woo the votes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the United States in his ambitions to run for president.

A “domestic partner” bill is one of the key issues the politicking governor has put on the agenda for the 2007 New Mexico Special Session. This piece of liberal legislation ensures that unmarried homosexual and heterosexual couples would receive the same rights as traditional married couples.

First off, if this domestic partner bill would give GLBT folks the same rights as legally married couples, I'll eat my 'Bush Is Over' teeshirt.  As has been well documented, legally married heterosexual couples receive a total of 1,138 FEDERAL benefits that neither state domestic partnerships nor state-provided same-sex marriages offer. All this domestic partnership law would do is provide the most basic of legal protections for partners and their families, whether straight or gay.

Secondly, is anyone else sick and tired of the Senators' whining and refusal to work? Think back to all the time spent on bolo tie, cowboy song and talapia farm bills and compare that to the time it would take to pass these bills of substance, some of which would significantly improve the lives of our citizens and the ethics of our goverment. In my opinion the Senate -- including many Democratic Senators -- are acting like rebellious children. Wah, I don't wanna work cuz the Guv. is running for president. Apparently it's all a game to them, just another ego-power struggle while the masses wait.

Of course it might help if Gov. Richardson would stay in town long enough to get this done. Surely he could miss a couple "fundraisers" at this early point in the presidential primary race, couldn't he? I mean if people like us were really important to him. More important than big donor cash.

I wish all of them would act their ages, get the business of the people completed without delay and quit the showboating, on all sides. Is that asking too much of those who are supposed to represent us?

PS: According to EQNM: By a vote of 6-2 HB4 (Domestic Partnerships) passed out of House Judiciary today and is now scheduled for a full floor vote of the House tomorrow Wednesday, March 21 at 2:00PM. If you can, please come to the Roundhouse to pack the gallery.

Peace Too Controversial for Colorado Springs Parade

Read all about it. Shocking photos too. Those "arrested" had a permit to march in the St. Paddy's Day Parade. The cops didn't bother to ask to see it. Choke holds are more fun.

Remember, Colorado Springs is home to the anti-democratice right wing group, Focus on the Family -- who just happen to have put out an alert for their members to contact NM legislators to urge them to vote no on the domestic partnership bill to be considered at the Legislature's Special Session, which starts today. Please do your part to fight against them by clicking here and urging your legislators to vote YES on domestic partnership and help ALL New Mexican families.

(4 Updates) It's Official: Gov. Richardson Calls Special Session of the NM Legislature

UPDATE 3.21.07, 11:15 AM: The hearing on the House floor for the Domestic Partnership bill that was originally scheduled for 2:00 PM today has been cancelled. The games continue.

UPDATE 8:15 PM: See my later post for how the day ended.

UPDATE 6:10 PM: From Kate Nash, Albuquerque Tribune -They were here for less than 30 minutes before they recessed. And the state senators haven't been back since. Word on the street is that they are still debating whether to adjourn their special session, which convened at noon today, or stick it out and pass the handful of measures Gov. Bill Richardson has demanded. The House, by all appearances, is staying. Its members met this morning and then headed to committees to consider some of the five bills introduced this morning. They are scheduled to return at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

UPDATE 2:40 PM: From Equality New Mexico: House Bill 4, the Domestic Partners Rights and Responsibilities Act, sponsored by Mimi Stewart, has been introduced on the House Floor and assigned to House Judiciary Committee. The House Judiciary Committee will meet today at 3:30 PM in Room 309. We need to have people testify and fill the committee room. If your schedule allows, we would love to see you there. Assuming we pass out of House Judiciary, the bill will be heard on the House Floor tomorrow, time to be determined. On the other side of the Roundhouse, the Senate has recessed until 4:00 PM today and we have no idea what their next move will be.
*************
The Special Session will be begin at Noon today. You can read his proclamation here. It contains descriptions of the eight bills he's asking the Legislature to consider, which include:

• public financing of statewide judicial elections
• limit campaign contributions to statewide and district candidates and impose other requirements
• create a state ethics commission
• enact a Clandestine Drug Laboratory Act
• increase penalties for certain acts of domestic violence
• authorize Grip II, a large road and infrastructure funding bill
• establish a legal process to register domestic partnerships for both heterosexual and same sex partners

Special Sessions can run for up to 30 days by law. Richardson has said the business at hand could probably be completed within several days. Unfortunately, he's getting some backlash about calling the Session, reportedly from a number of Senators who aren't supportive of ethics and campaign finance reform or have other problems with having to return to Santa Fe so soon after the end of the regular Session. Media sources are even suggesting there may be a plot being hatched, led by Democratic Senators, to scuttle the Session by calling a recess as soon as the Senate meets. We'll see.

If you care about important legislation like ethics and campaign finance reform, domestic partnerships, public funding of judicial elections and increased penalties for domestic abuse, encourage your State Senators and Reps to return to work and get them passed. Click to get contact info.

To see all our coverage on this year's legislature, visit our 2007 Legislature post archive.

Alibi Focuses on NM Impeachment Effort in Latest Edition

The unsuccessful impeachment effort in New Mexico is still making waves and getting media coverage. Why? One reason is that the initiative was ultimately stopped by Democrats. These days, many rank and file Dems feel they have two forces working against them -- right wing Bushies and leaders of their own Party. All too often we're being stonewalled from the right and from within. Too many Dem officeholders, candidates and power brokers still seem paralyzed, afraid to risk the wrath of right wing criticism and smears. Meanwhile, polls consistently show that public opinion is on the side of the Dem activists. Voters want decisive action to stem the damage the Bush administration continues to inflict on both domestic and foreign affairs -- not more excuses on why we can't act now.

The latest edition of the Alibi focuses on the impeachment battle that occurred during New Mexico's regular Legislative Session that ended last Saturday. In the end, nine Democratic Senators joined with Republicans to kill the resolution (SJR 5) before it was allowed the floor debate it had earned by passage through three Senate Committees. In their News/Opinion section, James Scarantino describes the Democratic betrayal, led by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ben Altamirano, in a piece entitled, "Democrats Thumb Their Noses at Democrats." You might say. As to an explanation for the defection of the Dems, Scarantino reports:

I asked Altamirano’s office why he switched from seconding the motion for the impeachment resolution in committee to killing it on the Senate floor. Altamirano has yet to explain himself. Sen. John Arthur Smith reportedly told one activist he opposed the resolution because “you can’t impeach someone for being stupid.” I haven’t seen any explanation from the others.

In their Features section, the Alibi's editor, Christie Chisholm, comments on The Year of Impeachment and presents the views of Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque), one of the bill's main sponsors along with Sen. John Grubesic, contrasted by the negative response to the effort by Republican Sen. Rod Adair (R-Roswell). You can find the articles here.

Here's a sample of what Adair offers to argue that the impeachment effort is merely about policy differences and hatred, not serious crimes and misdemeanors against the constitution and bill of rights:

The fact that the leaders of the impeachment "mini movements" in a couple of states are smart enough to couch their resolutions in terms that make them look like indictments for "crimes" does not mask the real motivation for these activists. This becomes most obvious when speakers go off script at hearings and talk about the one public policy motivator that sets them off to start with: the war in Iraq. That's what the entire issue is based on. Everything else is filler. The Bush haters are Bush haters for the very reasons mentioned in the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this week: He is a friend of Israel, an opponent of Islamo-fascism and is determined to fight the terrorist menace—with or without support from France, Germany or anyone else deemed to be necessary for us to convince.

I find it sad that at least nine Democratic State Senators apparently agree with Rod Adair's reasoning over that of the large numbers of citizen lobbyists who worked so hard for the effort, and of Senators Ortiz y Pino, Grubesic and the other Dem Senators who voted to support the resolution. At the very least, they clearly aren't up to the task of taking legitimate actions available to them to stop Bush's dishonest, deadly and anti-democratic agenda. What are they afraid of? The views of their fellow Democrats who supported their campaigns and voted them into office?

To read our previous coverage of New Mexico's impeachment effort, visit our impeachment post archive.

Gracias: Richardson to the Rescue

I want to thank Gov. Bill Richardson for his recent actions related to several controversial but vital bills that, for one reason or another, either failed by a few votes or got stuck in the general chaos of the last days of the NM Legislative Session in Santa Fe that ended at Noon on Saturday.

Medical Marijuana
Richardson was instrumental in saving the medical marijuana bill (SB 523) from a confusing razor thin defeat in the NM Senate by stepping in to jawbone Dem legislators, change some minds and get the bill passed in the last week of the 60-day Session. As Gov. Richardson explained when he announced he would sign the bill, it was the "right thing to do" because the law is for people who "are suffering. My God, let's be reasonable." Amen. Seriously ill and dying New Mexicans will at last have an especially effective prescription pain and nausea palliative at their disposal. An Albuquerque Tribune editorial agrees. And don't forget the valliant efforts of Rep. Moe Maestas, who sponsored the bill and spoke so eloquently on its behalf.

Special Session Called for Tuesday
Now the Governor has called a Special Session of the NM Legislature to start this Tuesday, March 20, to deal with several other important bills that didn't get their due during the chaotic days at the end of our regular Session.

Domestic Partnerships
Governor Richardson's Special Session call will reportedly include reconsideration of the popular Domestic Partnership Rights and Responsibilities Act (HB 603) sponsored by one of our best legislators, Rep. Mimi Stewart. The measure, which would provide all our citizens with the option of creating a legally defined partnership -- useful in dealing with health care and end of life matters, retirement and tax requirements and other domestic and family arrangements -- was killed in the waning hours of the regular Session. Despite passage by the NM House and two Senate Committees, the bill was essentially gutted and fell to defeat when four Dem Senators suddenly sided with Republicans to kill the bill.

Although being inaccurately portrayed as a stealth gay marriage bill by right wing opponents, the legislation in fact has nothing to do with marriage. Just the opposite. It's designed as a legal remedy for a wide variety of New Mexicans, from senior citizens who need legal protections for their long-term partnerships but don't want to marry for financial or other reasons, to heterosexuals who prefer to live together under a legal agreement short of legal marriage, to homosexuals who are in dire need of basic legal protections for their child and family arrangements.

The concept of domestic partnerships is promoted in the Democratic Party platform and has the support of all but a few Democratic officeholders in the state, as well as the vast majority of rank and file Dems. Let's hope that the Governor, the bill's sponsors and ordinary citizens can persuade a few of the Dem holdouts that this is a much needed law that represents the best of core Democratic values.

GRIP II, Ethics Reform, Water Bills
The Governor's call is also expected to include the $200 million GRIP II infrastructure and road bill, which was filibustered by Repubs at the end of the session. Also reportedly on the call will be several of his ethics and campaign reform package initiatives -- including the always excellent Sen. Dede Feldman's bill to limit campaign contributions (SB 800), which failed by one vote in the Session's last minutes, and stand-up guy Sen. Pete Campos' bill to establish a state ethics commission (SB 815) -- as well a couple measures that deal with crucial water projects.

Express Yourself
If you agree with Governor Richardson's attempt to rescue these vital legislative initiatives, be sure to give his office (505-476-2200) and your legislators (website) a call and say so. I know I'll be doing just that. We'll let you know when the Special Session agenda is finalized so you can take action in support of the bills to be considered.

Shocker: Still a Chance for NM Domestic Partnership Act in Special Session?

From Alexis Blizman of Equality New Mexico:
After a very long and grueling battle HB 603 did not pass. However, this legislation is far from dead. The Governor is calling a special session for this Tuesday, March 20, 2007. There will only be four items on the agenda, one of which will be our bill.

Editor's Note: EQNM will be sending out more info as it becomes available. Stay tuned. Phew. See my earlier post on what happened with the Domestic Partnership Rights and Responsibilities Act in the waning hours of the Legislative Session. Visit this archive for all our previous posts on this issue.

PS: According to , rumors are that Tuesday's Special Session may also deal with the GRIP II road bill and a couple of ethics bills.