Heading into the Final Week: Democracy Issues On a Winning Streak! 

With less than a week before Sine Die for the 54th Legislative Session, things are really heating up in the Roundhouse, and CCNM is working hard to pass and protect democracy reforms in New Mexico!

DEFEATED ARTICLE V BILL!

Thanks to all of your calls and emails to Senators last week, the SJR 4, Convention of States bill, was tabled by members of the Senate Rules Committee, 5-2!

Take a minute to thank the members of the Senate Rules Committee for their strong support to defending our democracy from a dangerous call for a constitutional convention!

Tracking update for CCNM Priority Bills:

• HB229, Changes to Election Law, passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 12th, and PASSED the House Floor on Saturday Feb. 15. HB 229 adds a number of changes to election law that assists our County Clerks and Secretary of State to better serve New Mexicans in conducting elections. Among the changes are absentee and voter registration changes. These are not major changes to the Election Code, and is waiting to be scheduled in the Senate Rules Committee. 

• • SJR 7, Ethics Commission to Determine Salaries, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 12th after a long night, and is waiting to be scheduled for the Senate Floor. 
  • HM 32, Legislative Structuring Taskforce, passed the House State Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs committee on Friday, February 7th, and is still waiting to be heard on the House Floor.
  • HJR 8, Terms of Non-Statewide Elected Officials, passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 12th, and passed the House Floor on Saturday, February 15th. HJR 8 would stagger judicial races and other non-statewide elected offices. It is waiting to be scheduled in the Senate Rules Committee. 
• SB 267, District Judges in Voter Action Act. This bill would allow District Judges to qualify for our state’s public financing program, but did not receive a message from the Governor this session and is unlikely to be scheduled to be heard this session. 
• SB 268, Legislators in Voter Action Act. This bill would allow state legislative candidates to qualify for our state’s public financing program, but did not receive a message from the Governor this session and is unlikely to be scheduled to be heard this session. 

Updates on legislation that CCNM is also supporting:

• • SB 64, Public Records Pertaining to Certain Claims, is on the House Floor Calendar.
  • HM 32, Legislative Structuring Taskforce, is still waiting to be heard on the House Floor.
  • SJR 2, Designee on Appellate Judges Commission, passed the Senate and is waiting for its assignment to House committees. 
  • SJR 11, Supreme Court Justice Salaries. This constitutional amendment would raise judicial salaries (which here in NM are one of the lowest salary levels in the nation) and raise them to match judicial salaries set for federal judges.  This pay increase is LONG overdue for our judges and much needed to recruit top experienced judicial talent for our courts. It is currently scheduled for its first hearing on the Senate Rules Committee calendar on February 17, 2020. 
  • SM 12, Recommendations for Open Primary Elections, passed Senate Rules Committee and is on the for Senate Judiciary Committee
  • HB229, Changes to Election Law, is waiting to be scheduled in the Senate Rules Committee
  • SB 185, Additional Judgeships, this bill will allow for nine additional judicial seats in our state’s most populated judicial districts.  Currently, our courts are struggling to keep up with the increasing number of criminal and civil cases that are filed and additional judges are needed to be able to keep up. Despite a rise in the number of cases, we have not increased the number of judicial seats since 2014. SB185 has passed all of its assigned committees for both the Senate and the House and is scheduled on the House Floor Calendar. 
  • SJR 2, Allow Photography in Senate Committees. This new rule passed the full Senate on Saturday, Feb. 15th and will allow photography and video in Senate Committee hearings without requiring permission from the committee chair. This bill is critical to the public for maximum transparency into our legislative processes. Our thanks to the Senators who voted in support of this rule! 
• SB 109, Civic Leadership and Legislative Training. This bill would create a $400K fund for UNM Regents to use for civics and legislative processes for high school students. Reinstating high school civics courses and civics education for students is a top priority for CCNM and our members. It is waiting to be scheduled in the Senate Finance Committee. 

Coming up (so far) this week:

• CALL TO ACTION: Call your Senator and ask them to support SJR 7, Ethics Commission to Determine Salaries. This weekend, the Albuquerque Journal published an article covering this important bill. Read the story here. 
• CALL TO ACTION: Call your Senator and ask them to schedule SB 109, Civic Leadership and Legislative Training in the Senate Finance Committee.
• SM 12, Recommendations for Open Primary Elections, Senate Judiciary Committee Agenda for Feb. 17, 2020
  • SB 134, Study Independent Redistricting Commission. This bill is waiting for a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. 

• HJR 8, Terms of Non-Statewide Elected Officials, this constitutional amendment is waiting to be scheduled in the Senate Rules Committee
• SJR 11, Supreme Court Justice Salaries. This constitutional amendment would raise judicial salaries (which here in NM are one of the lowest salary levels in the nation) and raise them to match judicial salaries set for federal judges.  This pay increase is LONG overdue for our judges and much needed to recruit top experienced judicial talent for our courts. It is currently scheduled for its first hearing on the Senate Rules Committee calendar on February 17, 2020. 
• SB 185, Additional Judgeships, this bill has passed all of its assigned committees for both the Senate and the House and is scheduled on the House Floor Calendar. 

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