Legislative Heroes and Zeros

Category: Your Business Connection Your Business Connection
Published: 06 February 2020 06 February 2020

As part of NMBC’s commitment to keep you up to date throughout the 2020 legislative session, we have the latest on the session’s “Heroes” and “Zeros” as well as new bills that could affect you and your business. 

First, some good policy and transparency 'Hero' bills:

  • HJR 5: Limit Expenditures & Tax Increases (AKA Taxpayer Bill of Rights), Rep. Montoya: It’s long past time for NM taxpayers to have a say in how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. Unfortunately this bill was killed on Wednesday after the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee tabled it.
  • SB 96: Online School Budget Reporting, Senator Candelaria: Transparency in school budgets and spending is absolutely needed! This bill, unfortunately calls for an appropriation of $3 million for a job that should already be handled by the state. But it’s a good investment to find out where our tax dollars go when we keep pouring them into our failing schools!
  • HR 1: Publication of Votes to Table Bills, Rep. Townsend: House rule change 11-21-1 would require all Committee votes to “table” legislation be provided to the public. Tabling a vote effectively kills its progress through the legislature.
  • HR 2: Legislation On Speaker’s Table, Rep. Townsend: This is a simple change regarding legislation on the speaker’s table that would make it easier for people to follow and have an opportunity to participate in the legislative process.*
  • HR 3: Order of Bills for 3rd Reading, Rep. Townsend: Amends House Rule 11-20-1, regarding the order in which bills are heard for third reading (vote for final passage of a bill). It requires the Speaker to notify the House at least 24 hours in advance.*

*HR 2 and HR 3 were both tabled Tuesday along party lines with Democrats effectively stopping both measures. As a simple step to bring the state back to the rules preceding 2019's 'Rocket Docket’ and allow better public participation, we’re not following the majority’s reason to kill these bills. Do you?

  • HB 44: New Mexico Work And Save Act, Reps. Phelps Anderson (R), Missy Armstrong (R), Christine Chandler (D), Tomas Salazar (D), Michael Padilla (D), Gabriel Ramos (D), Bill Tallman (D): This bill allows for a voluntary savings program for private sector employees through a web-based marketplace established and maintained by the state.  Although NMBC does not encourage more government run programs, we do support increased opportunities for retirement accounts and this program is structured to become self sufficient (not taxpayer funded) within 1 - 3 years.

Next are some bills that are ‘Zeros’ on the scale of doing good for our state:

  • SB 110: Public Sector Collective Bargaining Changes, Senator Mimi Stewart: This bill gives unbridled power to Public Employee Unions and would be bad policy for our state.
  • HB 229: Election Laws Clean Up, Rep. Trujillo and Rep. Ivey-Soto: This bill allows for 'same day' voter registration, which increases the likelihood of mistakes and technology glitches to occur.  It also removes the requirement for identification (name, address and year of birth) on the return envelope for a mailed in ballot. Why remove/lesson election integrity measures? This bill passed committee Wednesday with several amendments - NMBC will continue to monitor this bill after review of the amendments.  

Calls to Action:

Make your voice heard!

SB 115 & HB 160: Cannabis Regulation Act: These bills to legalize recreational marijuana is being pushed through the legislature in pursuit of a new source of taxable revenue.  

Shouldn't we be more concerned about our children's safety and social and economic costs that legalization of recreation marijuana would bring?

SB 115 has already passed through 2 committees and your voice is needed to stop this bill now!

Tell legislators: Vote no on recreational marijuana!

HB 173, Gas Taxes, New Funds and Distributions: 

Rep McQueen. This bill is a regressive tax increase that will eventually amount to an additional 35 cents/gallon tax on vehicle fuel.  

The new tax dollars will be split in thirds as follows: 1) Roads; 2) A new ‘Clean Infrastructure Fund’; and 3) A special ‘Low Income Rebate Fund’. Raising taxes (that particularly hurts low income people) so low income can apply for a tax rebate?  

We don't need another tax increase, especially given the fact of multi-year tax revenue surpluses.

Sign the petition: STOP THE GAS TAX.

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