Dear Friends,

Another legislative session in New Mexico is in the books, and you have made a difference! Today we celebrate many victories and thank our many legislators who stood for conservative values in the fight for New Mexico. We experienced victories that many thought were near impossible in the current legislature!

Just to highlight a few of the bills you helped defeat:

While working to stop many detrimental bills, we also experienced an exciting win for life:

Your participation with our Action Center was a success as legislators were flooded with conservative voices on these matters. Thank you for partnering with us in the fight for a God-honoring Land of Enchantment! As we continue to work together in this fight, I believe we will truly see the “enchantment” of this land return to a God-honoring, life-cherishing oasis.

Looking ahead…

During this 2022 session, I was honored to work with many of our conservative legislators – and I was greatly encouraged by the strength, persistence and courage they displayed. They fought on the front lines for our state and made great strides in protecting our elections, youth, and human rights. As we look ahead to the coming election, we must consider who else possesses the strength, persistence and courage necessary to fight for conservative values in New Mexico.

Please continue to partner with us in prayer and support as we endeavor to:

New Mexico’s balance of power has been tilted for far too long. Will you stand with us to see a balance returned and a revival awakened?

Standing with you,

Jodi Hendricks
Executive Director

 

Dear Friends,

The New Mexico legislative session continues this week with rapid fire, and you are making an impact!

With so many pieces of legislation trying to be pushed through the capitol, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico finds how and where we, you and I, can have the most impact. We are constantly tracking legislation that would impact our vision of a New Mexico where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.

As we identify legislation that supports our vision, we determine how we can best support the bill and the sponsoring legislator. From communicating closely with legislators to putting out action alerts, and many steps in between, we are there to help you make an impact in passing that legislation for New Mexico.

In fact, just last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee was flooded with messages urging support of Senate Bill 158, a bill regarding discrimination that must be prohibited in the protection of life for those with disabilities.

YOUR VOICE WAS HEARD! On Monday, February 7, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed this life-protecting bill. Thank you for taking action through our Action Center and speaking out for life-saving legislation.

Our job isn’t finished!

While we are identifying legislation that supports our vision for New Mexico, we are also identifying legislation that would devastate that vision. Unfortunately, with a legislature that is heavily tilted to the left, there are many things that require our attention. Our goal is to then determine how we can make the best impact for a better outcome. From opposing bad policy to recognizing problematic language and offering help in creating amendments, we are activating best impact strategies.

It’s because of you!

Your support of Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico is what enables us to empower you! Thank you for your support, and thank you for taking action. In this final week of the legislative session, we need your voice and your support as we continue to make an impact for the good of New Mexico. Will you stand with us?

Standing with you,

Jodi Hendricks
Executive Director

P.S. Stay tuned for Action Alerts for legislation regarding life, education, and human rights.

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

I’m sure you’ve heard the heartbreaking story of 18-year-old Alexis Avila throwing her hours-old infant, baby Saul, into a dumpster. She birthed her baby boy at home, wrapped him in a dirty towel and then put him in a trash bag containing garbage. She tied the bag closed with a hair tie, drove to a dumpster nearby, tossed him in and left.

The baby was in the dumpster for nearly six hours in near-freezing temperatures before he was found. When asked by the police why she had done this, she replied, “I was in a panic and I didn’t know what to do. I was scared.” Avila is under investigation and is being charged with attempted first-degree murder and child abuse.

While we may disagree with those on the Left on how early a life should be protected, we can all agree that an infant has the right to live and must be protected. In 2001 state legislators showed their agreement by passing the New Mexico Safe Haven Act, protecting infants who might otherwise be abandoned and offering an opportunity for a biological parent to surrender the infant without fear of criminal prosecution.

While the Safe Haven Law that exists in New Mexico offers protection, more is needed to ensure the proper awareness of how the law works and the funding to provide proper surrender safety devices. A surrender safety device is installed in an exterior wall of a designated Safe Haven site. It has an exterior door that automatically locks upon placement of a newborn inside the device, and a transparent interior door which allows a medical staff member to secure the surrendered newborn from inside the designated building. It is electronically monitored, and an alarm is activated when the exterior door is opened.

But there is good news!

House Bill 157 (and its companion bill, Senate Bill 168) has been introduced to provide for these exact needs.

These bills serve to clarify requirements of a Safe Haven site as well as the process that must be followed when an infant is surrendered. It also clarifies the condition the infant must be in at the time of surrender if the biological parent is to be free of criminal prosecution. In addition to these clarifications of existing law, these bills provide:

To cherish life means we protect it at every stage. The protection of these infants, who might otherwise be abandoned, is another step forward in the fight for life – and we need you!

Here is what you can do: Visit our Action Center today and ask your state representative to support HB 157 for the safety and protection of infants who may otherwise be abandoned.

And please be sure to share this with others so they can make their voice heard as well!

In Christ,

Jodi Hendricks
Executive Director

 

P.S. During this legislative session we are tracking many bills that will need your voice! Stay tuned for updates and potential action alerts on the following items:

SB158 – Anatomical Gifts Discrimination

We believe that life is a precious gift from God and that it should be protected from fertilization to natural end of life. SB158, honors life by prohibiting discriminations against those with physical or mental disabilities who are in need of transplant services, ensuring equal access to the care that is needed.

HB-91 – Prohibit Critical Race Theory Teaching

Critical Race Theory, in a nutshell, teaches students to treat people differently based on the color of their skin and it has no place in the classroom. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was designed to ensure people would not be treated differently based on their race. CRT mocks the societal protections of the Civil Rights Act. It serves more as an indoctrination of “woke” culture and liberal agendas which are politically driven and do not belong in New Mexico’s K-12 education curriculum. HB91 serves to prohibit the teaching of CRT in New Mexico classrooms.

HJR11 – Expanding Options for Educational Choice

As the American Federation for Children so eloquently stated, “All students should have access to a quality education that allows them to develop their unique talents and acquire the knowledge, skills and values necessary to be successful and find fulfillment in their lives. Children and their families should have the freedom to pursue educational options that are best suited to their individual learning styles.”

HJR11 will allow school funding to be used by whose children attend home school or private nonsectarian schools. HJR11 is a promising step forward in a family’s right to school choice.

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

Well, that didn’t take long. As soon as the regular legislative session was done – a little over a week ago – Gov. Lujan-Grisham suggested that she may call a special session to bring full-fledged recreational marijuana to New Mexico. That session begins tomorrow – at a heavy cost to taxpayers.

But while the cost of security for the special session (potentially well over $100,000) has gotten the main attention, the real cost to taxpayers will come if the Legislature and Governor actually legalize recreational pot. After all, in states that have fully legalized marijuana, the cost to the states has been enormous.

As New Mexicans, we have to look no further than Colorado to see the social and fiscal costs since legalization in 2014. Since that time, our neighboring state 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.

Watch this short video to see what awaits New Mexico if legislators choose to do the Governor’s bidding and legalize recreational weed.

TAKE ACTION: Please take 30 seconds to send a message to your state senator and representative asking them to oppose legalizing recreational marijuana in the special session. (Even if you contacted them earlier, it’s important that they hear from you again.)

Thank you for speaking up and spreading the word!

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

The 2021 New Mexico legislative session may be virtual, but the threat to unborn babies in our state is very real! Our allies at the Roundhouse are now telling us that votes on the radical abortion bills are likely to happen in the full House and Senate on Thursday.

Your voice is needed now more than ever! We have updated our Action Center message to legislators with fresh wording, so even if you have contacted them before, please take 30 seconds to send a new message to your legislators.

After you’ve sent the message, watch for a confirmation that includes the name and phone number of your senator and your representative. Please take a few moments to call and leave a message for them. Let them know you are a voter in their district, and politely ask them to oppose the radical abortion bill.

As we’ve been sharing in updates throughout this process, House Bill 7 and Senate Bill 10 are identical bills that wipe away critical protections. Doctors could lose their right of conscience to decline to do abortions; abortions could be committed without the woman’s consent; and any semblance of limitations on abortion – up to birth and including infanticide – would be wiped from our state’s law books.

Finally, please pray for our legislators on Thursday. And please share this email or the Action Center link with other New Mexicans who care about life.

Thank you for defending the least of these.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

Last week hundreds of you urged your Senators to Vote No on Senate Bill 10, where Family Policy Alliance had the opportunity to provide testimony.

Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. the
House Judiciary will have its
second hearing on

House Bill 7
The hearing  will be held virtually over zoom and live-cast on the New Mexico legislature’s website.Click on the zoom link at 1:30, January 29.

Then click on “Leave Public Comment” in the upper left hand corner of the page to enter the meeting.

We need your help!

Please click here to send a message to members of this committee and urge them to vote no on House Bill 7, the radical abortion up to birth bill! This bill is being is being rammed through, so act now!

House Bill 7 would repeal New Mexico state law (§ 30-5-1 to § 30-5-3), having the effect of:

  1. codifying abortion-up-to-birth in our state;
  2. removing conscience protections for medical providers; and
  3. putting women’s health at risk by lowering the medical standards of care for women seeking an abortion.

Two of these are easy to understand why we are opposed. But we often get asked:

Why do we need state law conscience protections if federal law already protects doctors’ rights of conscience?

Federal conscience protections are not enough to protect doctors and health care providers if they respectfully decline to participate in an abortion. Currently, NM law (§ 30-5-2) prohibits health care providers from being punished if they are persecuted for their religious beliefs and allows them to take court action to protect their right to freedom of conscience and belief.

  1. State law (§ 30-5-2) protects every medical health care provider (hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other employees) from being punished for exercising their rights to conscience and belief. Federal law only offers some protection for some hospitals (those that receive federal funding) and some healthcare providers (those participating in a federally funded program).
  2. State law (§ 30-5-2) protects all hospitals and all health care providers and their employees from being sued for declining to perform an abortion. Federal law does not.
  3. State law (§ 30-5-2) prohibits a doctor or nurse from being disciplined or fired for declining to participate in an abortion. Federal law does not. (Federal law may fine a health care provider for violating the law, but it does not protect a doctor’s job.)
  4. State law (§ 30-5-2) allows doctors and health care providers to sue if their religious beliefs and rights to conscience are violated. Federal law does not.

Please send a message to your Representatives now and tell them our doctors deserve better. New Mexicans deserve better. Urge them to Vote No on House Bill 7.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team