Major WINS for our priority bills from week 5!

The entire CCNM staff has been busy working with the media, and moving bills and amendments in committee hearings for a bill roster covering more than 40 bills we support this past week!

Full speed ahead with major victories on our priority legislation in the fifth week of the session.

Our HUGE THANKS to the bill sponsors for their leadership and hard work getting these bills PASSED through committees and on the floors of both the House and Senate:

SB 3 – CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth

PASSED the SENATE FLOOR 36-6! 

HB 84 – AUTO VOTER REGISTRATION AT MVD & ELSEWHERE; Sponsored by Rep. Ely, Rep. Sariñana, Sen. Steinborn, Rep. Caballero & Rep. Garratt

PASSED the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9-4!

HB 86 – ELECTION DAY & EARLY VOTING REGISTRATION; Sponsored by Rep. Ely, Rep. Sariñana, Sen. Steinborn, Rep. Caballero & Rep. Garratt

PASSED the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 9-4!

HJR 6 – ALLOW FOR RUNOFF ELECTIONS, CA, Sponsored by Rep. William “Bill” Pratt and Rep. Derrick Lente

PASSED the House State Government, Elections & Indian Affairs on February 12, along party lines. It is now headed to the House Judiciary Committee.

HJR 6 proposes for an amendment to the NM constitution authorizing the legislature to provide by law for runoff elections for primary and statewide elections.

NM voters overwhelmingly support electing leaders through majority vote, which is often not achieved through the plurality election system currently in state law, in races with more than two candidates.

As per the most recent poll done by Common Cause NM, 69% of NM voters think electing officials through a majority vote is very important, and an additional 19% think it is somewhat important. Runoff elections achieves the goal of electing leaders through a majority vote. This joint resolution, if passed, will put the question about whether the state should allow for runoff elections to the voters via a ballot question.

And PLEASE take a moment to THANK the committee members of the HOUSE CONSUMER AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE for their unanimous tabling of HJR 4, Free & Fair Elections on Saturday Feb. 16!

This bill was a resolution asking Congress to call for an Art. V Constitutional Convention.  For details about this dangerous idea and Common Cause’s opposition, please visit: www.defendourconstitution.org.

Lastly, HB4 – STATE ETHICS COMMISSION ACT, sponsored by Rep. Daymon Ely was introduced! This bill incorporates all of CCNM’s Principals of an Effective State Ethics Commission outlined in our report.

We are working with the bill sponsor on a few amendments ahead of HB 4’s first hearing in the House Judiciary Committee this coming week.  Please keep an eye out for our next blog for updates on this legislation and help us get calls into the appropriate committees to let your elected officials know that you want them to support HB 4! 

Here’s some of the recent media regarding this bill (and another we are not supporting in the Senate):

We will send our next blog soon with an update of all of the CCNM priority bills scheduled for next week.

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