Legislative Response Team Update
March 22, 2007

Summarized below are results of the 2007 New Mexico Legislative Session for issues the Legislative Response Team acted on.

HEALTH
The legislature approved the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, to make medical marijuana available to qualified New Mexicans.

SB 502, which would provide health insurance benefits to domestic partner’s of state employees after the employee retires died in committee.

The Health Security Act was stalled in Senate committee and tabled in House committee (after being yanked out of a favorable committee and into a kill committee).

CLEAN ENERGY
SB 463 Enhancing the NM Renewable Energy “Production Tax Credit” and SB 543 Tax Incentives for Green Building were both passed. HB 1145 Excise Tax Exemptions for Purchasing Biodiesel Blends, sponsored by Mary Helen Garcia, also passed. The bill provides tax incentives for production and sale of biodiesel fuel. The bill promotes establishing or expanding a facility to produce blended biodiesel fuel.

The Desert Rock Coal Plant Bill, HB 178, was killed, after particularly strong opposition, and our calls.

The Land, Wildlife and Clean Energy Act, CS/SB 309, didn’t get out of committee.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Small Farms Institute received $105,000 in capital outlay funding and $60,000 for staffing (Senate and House Bills). Although the funding is smaller than requested, it is enough to run the Institute for one year and develop curricula, hire 1.5 employees, conduct university-wide outreach, establish partnerships, purchase a tractor and other equipment, set up a greenhouse and lath house, and probably install a drip irrigation system.

MISCELLANY
New Mexico House Memorial 28, the "Little Red Riding Hood" anti-Mexican wolf memorial, was officially tabled.

Senator Mary Jane Garcia’s SB-10 Ban on Cockfighting Bill, though weakened somewhat, did pass.

The NM Senate Joint Resolution 5 to impeach Bush and Cheney died in committee.

HB 190, Death Penalty Repeal, didn’t get through the Senate Judiciary Committee.

SPECIAL SESSION
The following legislation was included in the governor’s special session:

House Bill 818, to allow for public financing of campaigns for judges. It passed 41-28 in the House but was in the the Senate Finance Committee when the regular session ended. Ongoing.

House Bill 821, to restrict campaign donations to the federal limit. It passed 51-16 in the House. The Senate passed its own version, but a vote to accept the House version failed 21-20 in the closing minutes. Considered ongoing.

House Bill 822, to create an ethics commission. It passed 58-4 in the House, but was in the Senate Judiciary Committee when the regular session ended. Ongoing.

House Bill 603, Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act was reborn as HB-4. It passed 30-23 in a full House vote on Friday, March 23. Ongoing.