By SIREESHA MANNE
Executive Director
New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty
The 2023 legislative session is officially underway, and what we fight for—healthcare, housing, food and income security, workers’ rights, and educational opportunities—will be at the center of many debates in the Roundhouse. Together, we can stand up against systemic injustices and bring significant, lasting change to our state.
The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty is proud to collaborate with our community partners and policymakers on multiple bills, providing policy and legal expertise and advocacy.
Below is a brief overview of our legislative priorities for this year. You can help move these bills along by keeping an eye out for updates as bills are introduced and opportunities to give public comment in support–public testimony can go a long way toward securing the passage of a bill!
2023 Legislative Priorities Overview:
Healthcare for all: We all need access to health coverage, but over 200,000 thousand New Mexicans are uninsured and even more are underinsured. Along with our coalition New Mexico Together for Healthcare, we are co-leading efforts to unlock affordable coverage for all New Mexicans with Medicaid Forward, which would open up the Medicaid program as an option that all state residents can purchase, regardless of income level – leveraging federal funds and bringing us closer to universal healthcare. We will also continue to monitor the Healthcare Affordability Fund to ensure it’s being properly used toward lowering costs for low wage workers and small businesses and expanding coverage options to those who are currently locked out of access.
Boost TANF access and benefits: The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides a small amount of cash assistance to very low-income families with children, but only 40 percent of eligible families access TANF because of outdated and punitive rules that make it difficult to enroll and stay enrolled. With parents and community partners, we are advocating for the state to make major systemwide fixes to the program by increasing the dollar amount families receive and eliminating unnecessary barriers so children won’t be punished over burdensome and harsh program requirements.
Keep New Mexicans housed: All New Mexicans need access to housing, but our communities are in crisis. With partnering attorneys and community-based organizations, we are advocating for far reaching legislation that would strengthen housing stability, increase protections for renters and mobile home park residents, and provide eviction diversion programs for landlords and tenants.
Modernize consumer protections: Debt collection needs to be fair and equitable so families can meet basic needs while paying down debt. We are urging lawmakers to modify out of date debt collection and bankruptcy laws to increase protections for a home from bankruptcy, improve wage garnishment notices, and exempt the higher of state or federal minimum wage from garnishment. Currently, only the lower amount of the federal minimum wage is exempt.
Fully fund the Tribal Remedy Framework: The Tribal Remedy Framework is a comprehensive plan for meeting the educational needs of Native students and upholding their rights. It was created collectively by tribal communities in response to the Yazzie/Martinez court ruling and has been endorsed by all Native Nations, Tribes and Pueblos in New Mexico. We are supporting the Tribal Education Alliance in advocating for several reforms that address long-standing inequities and insufficient resources in our education system.
Increase wages and strengthen our workforce: We are supporting workers and community partners in advocating for an increase to the statewide minimum wage and to pass the Paid Family Medical Leave Act. Fair wages help ensure hardworking New Mexicans can afford to make ends meet, and the money goes right back into our local economy. With paid family medical leave in place, more people will have economic security and stay employed, plus productivity and workplace safety will improve.
Protect Civil Legal Services funding: We are asking legislators to increase the funding level for CLS agencies to ensure New Mexicans who need legal help are able to get the assistance to enforce their rights for housing, employment, healthcare and family safety.
We will also be supporting legislation to boost access to healthcare and early childhood programs, modernize the legislature and bring about fairness to our tax code, among other key initiatives.
Our community has led the way on these efforts that have been building through the years and together we create strong partnerships. We’re fighting to fix broken systems that serve as roadblocks to New Mexicans meeting basic needs and we need your help. Keep an eye out for upcoming emails for ways you can support and stay up to date by following us on social media.