It’s Sunshine Week, and we have just 5 more days in the session!
Sine Die, 12pm on March 20th!
SB 15, Redistricting, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto & Speaker Brian Egolf
We are happy to inform you that SB 15 which creates an independent redistricting committee is only one step away from landing on the governor’s desk. This bill has many elements of fair redistricting that the New Mexico First’s Fair Districts task force recommended. SB 15 passed the Senate Floor by a unanimous vote and will soon be voted for on the floor of the house. Please sign our petition for fair redistricting in New Mexico here at, and check out the call to action tools for contacting your House member: redistrictNM.org today! For more updates from the Fair Districts Coalition, check out our new website.
SB 160, Judicial Candidates in Voter Action Act, sponsored by Sens. Peter Wirth & Katy Duhigg
SB 160 passed its only committee in the State House on March 14th, 8-1. The bill would allow public funds, that are no longer being applied to PRC districts, to be applied to district judges. The passage would allow district judges to focus on their court docket, and not on fundraising for their campaigns. SB 160 is headed to the House floor, and is in the second to last step. New Mexico could be the first state in the nation to enact this good-government reform. Please contact your Representative here and ask them to support SB 160, to help ensure that our state judiciary is free, fair, and impartial from conflicts of interest.
HB 244, Ethics Commission & Secretary of State Duties, sponsored by Reps. Daymon Ely & Greg Nibert
HB 244 was passed unanimously off of the Senate floor! It’s headed to the Governor’s Desk to be signed into law! This bill adds important language for additional enforcement provisions for the State Ethics Commission as they investigate and adjudicate complaints regarding our campaign finance reporting laws, lobbyist reporting regulations and the Governmental Conduct Act.
HB 231, Requiring Tribal Agreement for Consolidating, Closing Native American Polling Locations, sponsored by Reps. Georgene Louis, D. Wonda Johnson, Derrick J. Lente, Anthony Allison & Sen. Benny Shendo, Jr.
HB 231 is currently awaiting a hearing in the Senate Rules Committee. This legislation would provide voters residing on sovereign land a polling location during statewide elections. HB 231 ensures voters residing on sovereign land are not disenfranchised and are afforded every opportunity to cast a ballot like all New Mexicans.
SB 266, Staggering of Judicial Races, sponsored by Sens. Daniel Ivey-Soto & Katy Duhigg
This piece of legislation pertains to a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2020, permitting the staggering of judicial offices. SB 266 allows these judges to be placed on the ballot for retention every two years, allows for a better evaluation system of judges, and a shorter ballot for voters.
The bill has successfully passed the Senate and is currently awaiting a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee before heading to the House Floor for a final vote.
SB 80, No School Discrimination for Hair, sponsored by Sens. Harold Pope, Linda M. Lopez, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Benny Shendo, Jr. & Shannon D. Pinto
The CROWN Act passed unanimously off the Senate floor and is being heard in House Education committee today! This is a basic and fundamental civil rights issue. There is no denying that the generations of systemic racism and attempts to erase and eradicate culture in black and brown communities, is still deeply embedded in our laws and in societal constructs. People should not have to choose between their racial cultural identity in order to exist comfortably in the workplace. Common Cause NM is following this policy in an effort to stand up against racial injustice, and to support our allies within the community on intersectional policies. To learn more about the CROWN act, check out their site!
HB 4, Civil Rights Act, sponsored by Rep. Georgene Louis, Speaker Brian Egolf & Sen. Joseph Cervantes
Was passed out of Senate Judiciary Committee on 3/10. It is scheduled to be heard anytime in the next week on the Senate floor. Please call and urge your Senator to support ending qualified immunity in NM, and to pass legislation similar to the federal law.