It was a surreal session at the Roundhouse.

The 2021 New Mexico legislative session was largely virtual, so a large part of what anyone saw of the session was not at the Roundhouse at all, but rather images of legislators sitting in their home offices and participating via Zoom sessions.

But the virtual session also had a bitter reality. A new, more progressive group of legislators held sway – made possible by progressives’ defeat of moderate Democrats in last year’s primary election. The fact that elections have consequences was very evident this year.

The results then were not all that surprising, but they were jolting nonetheless. Here’s a look at key outcomes.

Limitless Abortion. After years of pushing for it, the progressives finally got what they wanted – a law repealing restrictions on abortion in New Mexico. While some of those restrictions weren’t in effect because of court rulings, others were. Here are a few immediate, practical changes of the new law: ·

State law no longer includes conscience protections for medical professionals who are unwilling to do abortions.

There is no justification for these outcomes; it is as bad as it sounds. See how your state senator and representative voted.

Assisted Suicide. Near the end of the session, progressives succeeded in checking off another longtime goal, legalizing assisted suicide. When Gov. Lujan Grisham signed the bill, she made New Mexico just the ninth state to take that life-devaluing step.

Suicide is already a major problem in New Mexico. According to the Centers for Disease Control, our state has the fourth-highest suicide rate in the nation, with suicide ranking as the ninth-leading cause of death. Suicide contagion is real, and the state’s legitimization of some suicides will likely only add to the problem.

There has also been strong concern in recent years over elder abuse in our state. Assisted suicide laws compound that problem. In 2019 in Oregon, 54 percent of people who requested assisted suicide did so because they feared being a burden on their family. This new law enables financial predators in the family who would seek to reduce the burden of care and get access to wealth.

On the positive side, your strong responses to our action alerts created pressure on legislators, and the bill was amended with some limited improvements. However, even these safeguards are unenforceable and able to be avoided. See how your state senator and representative voted.

Recreational Marijuana.
When the legislature couldn’t finish up the marijuana bill before the regular session ended, Gov. Lujan Grisham wasted no time in calling a special session, where the era of Big Marijuana in New Mexico was quickly ushered in.

Now our state will have to grapple with many of the same challenges as our neighbor to the north. Since Colorado legalized recreational weed, it has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime, traffic fatalities, and marijuana hospitalizations. And usage by minors – sometimes fatal, from eating poorly regulated marijuana “candies” – has soared. See how your state senator and representative voted.

A Ray of Hope?
Yes, this legislative session produced a sharp, leftward lurch for New Mexico. But now the Left has to own it – their voting records and the unpopular consequences of their policies. As we’ve seen, elections have consequences. And sometimes, so do legislative sessions.

Thanks for your faithful support and action. Let’s keep at it!

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

It’s the last week of the session, and things are happening quickly. Thanks for staying engaged and taking action!

On Sunday, there were two big developments on bills that we’ve been telling you about.

ASSISTED SUICIDE. First, the Senate Judiciary Committee met for several hours on Sunday and heard House Bill 47, which would legalize assisted suicide in New Mexico. Family Policy Alliance was one of four groups allowed to testify against the bill in the minimal time allowed.

It was clear that the hundreds of emails you sent through our Action Center – plus countless phone calls to key senators – made a difference. For a time, it appeared that the bill might be defeated in the committee. But one of the senators with strong concerns about the bill ultimately voted to allow the bill to go to the Senate floor, where he will attempt to address some of its major problems. With his vote, the bill passed committee, 5-3.

Despite the fact that it only passed committee last night, it could be voted on by the full Senate as early as today!

Your action is needed!

RECREATIONAL POT. Thank you to the hundreds of you who also reached out to the Senate committee that was scheduled to hear the bill to fully legalize Big Marijuana in New Mexico. Yesterday, at the last minute, that bill (House Bill 12) was moved to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it may be considered today or tomorrow.

That move to a new committee is likely an indication that your messages were making a difference! But now Senate Judiciary needs to hear from New Mexicans who are concerned about the Colorado-style damage that this bill will inflict on our state!

Please take a moment to urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to oppose recreational marijuana (HB12). When you send a message, it will also include your own senator, even if they aren’t on the committee.

From the elderly and infirm (assisted suicide) to vulnerable young people (Big Marijuana), these attacks devalue life and must be fought. Thanks again for standing firm and taking action!

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

The sprint that is otherwise known as the New Mexico legislative session is now two-thirds done. Thank you for continuing to speak up to legislators.

Despite the Governor signing the radical abortion bill, there are critical issues that remain! Here are some of the most important – and what you can do about them:

Assisted Suicide

This dangerous bill would give the state’s approval to some suicides and, for the first time, turn our doctors into life-takers. But despite its radical nature, it has passed the House and the first Senate committee. Now it is on its way to perhaps its most critical vote – in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Will you take action to stop it?

Recreational Pot 

 On Friday, the Recreational Marijuana bill passed the House, 39-31. Now, it is headed to the Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee.

Consider these facts:

Take Action Now: Take a few moments to send a message to the entire Senate committee that is about to hear this bill.

Human Trafficking

Here is some good news: Last Friday, the Sex Offender & Human Trafficking Changes Bill passed the House nearly unanimously and will soon be heard in Senate committees. This bill makes needed changes to clamp down on the major problem of sex trafficking in New Mexico.

For our kids and grandkids,

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

Callousness and disrespect for life takes many forms, and this year at the Roundhouse, we’re seeing it at both ends of life.

In regard to life in the womb, hundreds of you have used our Action Center to send messages urging the Governor to veto the radical abortion bill. Thank you.

Today, we’re appealing to you to speak out about a bill that disrespects the lives of the sick and the elderly.

House Bill 47 legalizes assisted suicide in New Mexico. Virtually identical bills have been defeated in the past here, but after last fall’s elections, the outcome of this bill could go either way.

After passing the House last week, HB47 is now headed for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee – and it’s URGENT that we prevent this bill from going any further.

Here is what you can do to make the biggest difference in stopping this deadly bill:

There are many reasons why assisted suicide is a tragic mistake. Here are three:

In addition, New Mexico is home to one of the largest Hispanic populations, as well as one of the largest indigenous populations in the nation. Physician-assisted suicide contributes to the continued unfair access to equal healthcare for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.

That’s why the League of United Latin American Citizens states:

“The practice of distributing a pharmaceutical poison to the medically dependent and emotionally vulnerable, particularly where individuals and families are financially burdened by severe illness and not provided access to appropriate palliative care and caregiver supports, is unconscionable.”

The assisted suicide bill will soon be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Please call and leave messages at the numbers above as soon as possible – and then spread the word to other New Mexicans who care about upholding life.

Thanks for speaking up and making a difference!

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

On Friday, the Senate passed the radical abortion bill that we had worked together to stop in recent years. While that battle is not over, it will go to the House floor soon for a vote that will be challenging to win. More on that – and what you can still do – in just a bit.

In the meantime, another life issue – assisted suicide – has taken center stage. This year’s version (House Bill 47) passed out of a second committee on Saturday afternoon and is also heading to the House floor for a vote that could happen this week.

This bill is very similar to other assisted-suicide bills that have been defeated in recent years. But as we saw with the abortion vote, elections have consequences. Because of the new makeup of the legislature, it will take a strong outpouring from pro-life New Mexicans to once again stop this dangerous assisted-suicide legislation.

The good news is that the concept of encouraging and allowing suicides remains controversial, even in the newly elected legislature. Your voice can make a difference!

Here’s what we’re asking you to do to keep New Mexico from going down this dangerous suicide road:

  1. Please take a moment to send a message to your state representative. As always, it’s quick and easy on our Action Center.
  2. After you’ve sent the message, you’ll get a confirmation that includes the name and phone number of your representative. Please do take a moment to call. Simply let them know that you are a constituent of theirs and ask them to OPPOSE House Bill 47. Just a few calls – combined with the email messages – can make a huge impact!

Update on the Abortion Bill. As we mentioned up top, the radical abortion bill passed the Senate, which is where it was defeated in recent years. Still, despite that difficult blow, the battle is not over. Please pray, and if you haven’t already contacted your state representative using our Action Center, please do so. It is likely that the abortion bill will come to a vote on the House floor this week, perhaps tomorrow.

We remain steadfast in both of these fights for life. And we are grateful for your committed support and willingness to speak up to your legislators.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

New Mexico’s 55th legislative session will be novel in some ways and familiar in others. The legislature has limited in-person public testimony at the Capitol due to ongoing health concerns, planning to conduct hearings via video conferencing. Though, many of our legislative priorities will be very familiar.

Assisted Suicide
Once again, physician-assisted suicide is on the table, filed as HB 47—The Elizabeth Whitfield End-of-Life-Options Act. It is currently in the House Committee on Health, & Human Services and is expected to have a hearing soon.

HB 47 would legalize assisted suicide in New Mexico by allowing patients to obtain lethal drugs from medical professionals who do not even have to be doctors – this is essentially Non-Physician assisted suicide. This legislation would also enable the same non-physicians to determine the mental capacity of patients requesting lethal drugs. It would take the extra step of forcing doctors and medical professionals to violate their conscience by mandating that they refer patients for assisted suicide when requested, regardless of the patient’s mental or medical condition.

HB 47 lacks many safeguards found in other states that protect patients from dangerous abuse and coercion from predatory family members and profit-driven insurance companies, putting the disabled and the elderly at particular risk.

Abortion
Although it has not yet been introduced, we expect another substantial effort to repeal abortion statute protections for women and doctors. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has reiterated her commitment to supporting legislative efforts to remove all abortion-related laws from New Mexico statutes, including those that provide doctors’ conscience protections and require a woman’s consent before having an abortion.

Marijuana
Lawmakers will likely introduce legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, again with support from the Governor’s office (a proposal 63% of New Mexicans opposed just a year ago). Supporters claim legalization will bring in tax revenue but dismiss the heavy cost legalization would have on our communities, particularly our children and communities of color, not to mention the health and safety risks that have become realities in other states which have legalized recreational marijuana.

Despite these radical efforts, we are proud we have strong allies in our state capitol we can stand alongside and support—Elected officials who are committed to representing your values.

Please join us in supporting these legislators by praying that God may bless their efforts and ensure our voices are heard.

With your support we will remain vigilant in standing for life, family and religious freedom and keep you updated on the movement of legislation and how you can get involved.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Curry
Policy Manager