Good Morning,
I just wanted to fill you in on the last few days. Your lobby team has been hard at work.
HB 38 and HB502 Wednesday we were in committee for 502 and 38 which were combined into a much more sensible and reasonable bill. This is the bill removing parental rights in the case of a pregnancy resulting from rape. We are going to ask for a couple of more small tweaks from the sponsor, but with stronger due process and limited time duration that a petition may be filed it is certainly much more balanced.
HB446 LIVES!!! Last night DPS for a second time ambushed another bill on the floor, in this case the very reasonable new language in HB48 that RSOLNM was now ok living with due to its narrow targeting. Instead HB48’s sponsor signed up for a House Floor ambush substituting in a version of HB446 as an amendment. The Republicans voted lock step under administration pressure for the amendment after a NASTY debate. Then a vote was taken to successfully refer it back to House Judiciary, where it should have a very nasty hearing, and it WILL NOT be this week. BUT FOLKS, IT AIN’T OVER UNTIL THE SPEAKER SAYS IT IS OVER IN 2 WEEKS!
So what happened here? Yet again RSOLNM took the high road, being reasonable, plus ALWAYS willing to negotiate a deal and providing only accurate information, data and sound legal advice. Whereas the opposition lies about EVERYTHING, even about a key vote taken in a meeting we videotaped! Certain people are desperate to hammer and destroy New Mexico families while weakening public safety, and misrepresentation and lies are the only way to get there. After all, without lies we would not have a registry! We continue to extend and olive branch to the opposition for a reasonable negotiation, but it seems they swat that olive branch away in disgust having to work with our “Civilly regulated group” that includes thousands of men, women, children, lawyers, doctors, and concerned citizens……When will they set their hatred aside and accept we are there route to a new SORNA? It likely will take new players at the table, which we will ask for in the off season.
Lessons Learned this session. Considering our opposition, our strategy changes by the hour now, some things worked…some did not. What is clear is the opposition will continue to double efforts every year as we do and is not likely to sit down with us and be reasonable. Thankfully we were able to avoid utilizing all our resources and Hail Mary’s so far. But one thing has become clear, in future long sessions we may need to pay a full time member of our lobby team to just focus on the session. The number of hours on the lead lobbyist, currently for Larry this means several months with little or no time for work and squeezing in work means we miss problem bills and time to produce strategy for the session.
The good news is we only have two weeks to go. The bad news is the opposition is calling out every single government employee and Henchmen to try to get something passed. So be prepared for action at a moment’s notice for two more weeks!
Sincerely,
Lloyd Swartz
“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth
defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”
-Samuel Adams