Legislative Roundup
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Charter school cap fails: Charter school advocates came out in force today for a Senate Education Committee hearing on Senate Bill 422, which would prohibit charter schools from opening in any district where at least 10% of students already attend charter schools.

Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said SB 422, which she co-sponsored, will provide a more level playing field for traditional public schools competing with state-funded charters for resources. Over time, she said, it’s possible the state will have to close some traditional public schools if charter schools continue to open.

Some lawmakers on the committee said charter schools represent choice for both parents and students. “Why would we limit parental choice?” asked Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho.

Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque said SB 422 is “essentially a moratorium” on new charter schools.

The bill’s fiscal impact report says there are 10 school districts in the state where more than 10% of students go to charter schools, including Santa Fe (at 24.8%). The report says New Mexico has 100 charter schools, which collectively enroll about 30,000 students. 

Though Sen. William Soules, D-Las Cruces, was supportive of SB 422, the rest of the committee members voted to table it. 

Senate dust-up: Senate Republicans on Friday challenged the Senate Finance Committee’s 6-5 vote Thursday to advance a paid family and medical leave bill, saying it violated the chamber’s rules.

During the committee’s vote on Senate Bill 11, Sen. Bobby Gonzales, D-Ranchos de Taos, who is out with COVID-19, cast his vote by telephone. Republicans said he was required to be “visually present”.

“His vote should not count because by our own rules, he was absent,” said Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington. “I believe this committee report should be [rejected] because it should’ve been a tie 5-5 vote.”

While Gonzales appeared by Zoom for most of the meeting, he encountered technological problems as the vote approached, prompting Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, to call him by phone to vote.

“This particular senator has been dealing with some severe health issues,” Padilla said about Gonzales, who also contracted COVID-19 last year. “I don’t want to compromise what those are.”

Brandt chastised Democrats for what he described as forcing the ailing senator to participate in the meeting.

“Shame on you,” he said. “Shame on you for putting Senator Gonzales in that position. If he is so ill, if he is so sick, how could you put him in that position to make him do this? That is wrong.”

The Senate ultimately adopted the committee report with all 15 Republicans in the chamber voting in opposition.

Game Commission changes: Members of the House voted 45-21 Friday to approve a bill that would change the selection process for members of the State Game Commission, which oversees wildlife conservation and hunting and fishing regulations.

Currently, the governor appoints the seven-member commission, which has struggled with high turnover and is now down to just three members — not enough for a quorum to hold meetings.

Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo,, introduced House Bill 184, which would give the Legislative Council the power to appoint four of the seven members, while the governor would still appoint three — one from each of the state’s three congressional districts. 

The four members chosen by the Legislative Council would be: a rancher or farmer; a conservationist with a wildlife organization not focused on a game species; a hunter or angler; and a scientist with a master’s degree in wildlife biology, conservation biology, fisheries science or management, wildlife management or a similar field. 

The members would serve staggered six-year terms, compared with the current four-year terms.

McQueen said the bill would “bring stability” to the commission and avoid a situation where a new governor could come in and remove all or some of the commissioners. The bill, he said, is a “big step in the right direction to solve that problem.”

HB 184 goes next to the Senate for consideration.

Quotes of the day: “I think hell is about to freeze over because I agree with Rep. McQueen about something.” —Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, on his decision to support McQueen’s State Game Commission bill.

“My heart goes out to our good friend, Sen. Gonzales, because COVID is a bitch as we all know.” —Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, reacting to news that Gonzales is dealing with severe health issues.

“I implore the federal government to do better. As it stands, they are failing New Mexicans.” —Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in a statement in response to the U.S. Forest Service shooting of feral cattle in the Gila Wilderness.