The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Data privacy and immigration enforcement: Dozens of immigrant rights advocates packed into a Thursday afternoon Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee meeting to show their support for a bill prohibiting public employees from disclosing personal information for the purpose of federal immigration enforcement.
Senate Bill 36, sponsored by Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, would also require state agencies in contracts with companies to sell personal information — such as driver’s license records — to secure guarantees from those companies not to disclose that data for the purpose of federal immigration enforcement.
New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division is currently in a contract with a third party to purchase information, for example, Somos Un Pueblo Unido staff attorney Gabriela Ibañez Guzmán told lawmakers. That information could potentially end up in the hands of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“When I found out that my information was being shared, I realized that it made all of my community vulnerable,” said Maria de Jesus Gallardo, of El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos, originally in Spanish. “… I’m asking for you to help my community. Right now, we are more vulnerable than we have ever been, and we are afraid.”
The bill passed on an 8-2 vote.
Demanding a ban on assault weapons: The New Mexico chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action called on lawmakers to ban assault weapons during a rally in the Rotunda.
“You have not given up, and please know that I will not either,” said Sen. Debbie O’Malley, D-Albuquerque, who is among the sponsors of Senate Bill 279, known as the Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearms Exclusion Act, or GOSAFE.
The bill would ban the sale or transfer of semiautomatic rifles and also prohibit the manufacture and sale of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, who carried a similar measure last year, said the GOSAFE bill “ensures that weapons of war are no longer in our communities.”
“Today, I’m sad that our faces are familiar. I’m sad that we have continued to have to keep up this fight,” she said. “But I’m glad because you are survivors. I’m glad because you are fighters. I’m glad that I know you because you are here to fight with us. I have so much great hope for the future because of you.”
Lawmakers stop short of voting on Strategic Water Supply: Rep. Susan Herrera, D-Embudo, said it best: “Whiskey’s for drinking, and water’s for fighting.”
If that’s true, then the Strategic Water Supply — a proposal backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to treat brackish water and oil and gas byproducts for industrial uses — is definitely for fighting.
Proponents argue the change is the first step in a plan to adjust to New Mexico’s shrinking freshwater resources, while environmental advocates argue incomplete research on the subject will result in environmental and human costs.
After hours of discussion in the House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee Thursday morning, lawmakers chose to “roll” a committee substitute of House Bill 137, a proposal sponsored by Herrera to create the Strategic Water Supply. The committee delayed a vote on the matter to its next meeting.
Six months for solar: Senate Bill 65, sponsored by Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, would implement several measures to protect consumers from so-called “bad actors,” including prohibiting companies from accepting payments on residential solar projects if those projects had been delayed for 90 days.
“It’s the industry standard,” consumer protections attorney Rob Treinen told lawmakers of the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee. “… Through my experience, what I’ve seen — it’s usually done in 30 days.”
Public commenters and lawmakers expressed concern, though, that 90 days might penalize companies that simply face complications on the job that delay the project, leading to Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, proposing a successful amendment to extend the deadline to 120 days.
Sen. Gabriel Ramos, R-Silver City, however, said he was still uncomfortable with a four-month deadline, and proposed an amendment to extend it to 180 days, or six months. That amendment passed, and the bill cleared the committee on a 7-3 vote.
SB 65 heads next to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Cycling bill pedals ahead: New Mexico cyclists are a few stops away from being able to ride through red lights after stopping, and blow through stop signs when safe.
Senate Bill 73, sponsored by Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, would provide increased safety for cyclists at intersections — locations advocates say are common places for riders are hit by vehicles.
“Intersections are where 25% of accidents happen, so it’s really important for bicyclists to be able to get in and out of the intersection quickly,” said Lynn Pickard, of the Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes.
Pickard noted she herself has been hit by a car while stopped at a stop sign near the Santa Fe Plaza.
The bill passed the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee unanimously, and heads next to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Quote of the day: “These are pretty.” — Joshua Chavez, a village of Los Lunas employee, as he prepared a batch of chicharrones outside the Capitol in celebration of Valencia County Day. Valencia County is home to the largest matanza in the world, according to a proclamation read on the Senate floor.
A bill to establish protections for people having solar panels installed at their home went through two on-the-fly amendments on Thursday, amid concerns the measure would implicate companies conducting business by the book.