Rep. Kelly Fajardo
STATE News:
LOS LUNAS —Rep. Kelly Fajardo (R-Los Lunas) has asked New Mexico legislative leaders Brian Egolf and Mary Kay Papen to schedule a presentation from legislative agency directors on their experiences enforcing the Legislature’s current “No Harassment” policy at a meeting of the Legislative Council later this week.
The Legislative Council will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 in Room 307 of the State Capitol.
Fajardo noted that the Legislative Council will discuss the formation of a working group to review the current policy and recommend changes. Fajardo requested that the directors of the Legislative Counsel Service and the Legislative Education Study Committee, Raúl Burciaga and Rachel Gudgel, respectively, present to the Legislative Council and the working group on how they have applied the policy to respond to harassment complaints.
“We cannot determine the best future course for the Legislature on this matter until we have a thorough comprehension of the limitations of the existing policy,” Fajardo wrote. “I know you share my desire to ensure we provide the best possible environment for everyone who interacts with the Legislature. Receiving a report from our agency directors on their experiences in enforcing the current “No Harassment” policy is appropriate as our working group begins its review.”
Copy of the letter:
December 11, 2017
Dear Speaker Egolf and President Pro Tem Papen,
During the upcoming Legislative Council meeting scheduled to take place at 1:30 P.M. on Friday, December 15, 2017, in Room 307 of the State Capitol, we will be discussing the formation of a working group to review the Legislature’s current “No Harassment” policy and recommend changes.
In any policy review, it is essential to evaluate the current policy for effectiveness. Examining how the policy was used to guide the resolution of actual complaints would beneficially inform the working group’s efforts.
To that end, I request that time be provided during the upcoming Legislative Council meeting to hear from Legislative Counsel Service Director Raúl Burciaga and Legislative Education Study Committee Director Rachael Gudgel on how they have applied the policy in specific cases, namely the three described in an article published by the Albuquerque Journal on December 3, 2017. I ask that their presentation be formally placed on the meeting agenda with opportunity for the working group to ask questions.
It is important for the working group to determine if the scope of the policy is appropriate, if the policy is providing adequate and equal protections for all parties, and if the policy is being used consistently by agency directors. The working group also needs to know how many complaints have been filed since this policy took effect in 2008, if any complaints were excluded, and the basis for excluding these complaints.
We cannot determine the best future course for the Legislature on this matter until we have a thorough comprehension of the limitations of the existing policy. I know you share my desire to ensure we provide the best possible environment for everyone who interacts with the Legislature. Receiving a report from our agency directors on their experiences in enforcing the current “No Harassment” policy is appropriate as our working group begins its review.
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Kelly Fajardo State Representative District 7