Preview Of 2020 Legislative Session

The 2020 legislative session begins noon Tuesday at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

By ROBERT NOTT
rnott@sfnewmexican.com

Mix hundreds of legislative bills, resolutions and memorials into a 30-day legislative session designed to focus on the budget and you’ll likely come up with a recipe for some prioritizing, lots of stalling and some surprise winning bills breaking out in the final minutes.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced an agenda for this year’s legislative session that focuses on education, the environment, public safety and health.

Here are six bills that could generate controversy, conflict or cooperation:

  • College for all: The governor wants to appropriate $35 million to create the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, which establishes a tuition-free college program. The Governor’s Office says this will benefit some 55,000 students and increase college enrollment, but critics say it could lead colleges to raise tuition and use up more money than planned. As of noon Saturday, no legislator had filed a bill proposing this measure. 
  • Hand ’em over: SB5 is a gun-safety measure that would give law enforcement personnel the right to seize weapons and ammunition from any citizen who may be a threat to themselves or others. A similar measure stalled in last year’s legislative session, and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth said he’s not sure the initiative will have enough votes to pass this year.
  • Everyone can vote: HJR 3  is a joint resolution, requiring a majority vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives, that would approve an amendment to the state constitution to allow voters who have not selected a party affiliation to vote in primary elections. Past efforts to move such legislation forward have failed. 
  • Lighting up: SB 115  would legalize the use of recreational cannabis. The Governor’s Office says it will bring additional revenue into state coffers. Critics say it could backfire in a state with a serious drug and alcohol abuse problem. In the last session, a bill that would have legalized cannabis stalled in the Senate Finance Committee. Many Republicans and some conservative Democrats oppose the measure, and Wirth has said he wasn’t sure the bill would have enough votes to pass this year.
  • Lighting down: HB 66 would, among other things, raise the legal age to purchase e-cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21. Given President Trump recently signed federal legislation to do the same thing, this may earn the support of lawmakers in both parties this year. A companion Senate bill is expected to be filed soon. 
  • Humming along: The governor has talked about creating a $2,500 tax credit for anyone buying or leasing an electric vehicle and a $300 tax credit for those installing an at-home charging station for an electric car. Republican lawmakers are also pushing a bill for tax credits for electric cars, so this may pass easily or get mired in partisan bickering about which plan is better. As of noon Saturday, no legislator had filed a bill proposing this measure. 

Under the radar

Here are a few bills that may not draw as much attention but could stir debate:

  • Friendly overture: HB 70 would appropriate $300,000 for public middle and high schools to develop programs to build friendships between special needs students and those who do not have intellectual or developmental disabilities. 
  • Fighting hunger: HB 75 commits $200,000 to the state’s Human Services Department to convene a task force and assess the state of hunger and malnutrition in New Mexico. The state often tops the list of states with the most number of children per capita going hungry. 
  • Homebuying 101: SB 22  would appropriate $500,000 for the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority to create and implement a pre-purchase education program for first-time homebuyers. Such programs are becoming more popular around the country as they teach people how to find grants and down-payment assistance.
  • Diplomas for vets: SB 99 would authorize the state’s public school system to give high school diplomas to military veterans who left school early to serve in the Vietnam War between late February 1961 and early May 1975. A recent Philadelphia Inquirer story said some 20 percent of Vietnam veterans did not receive a high school diploma when they enlisted in the military. 

Legislators to watch

The state’s volunteer Legislature has 122 members between the Senate and the House of Representatives. Predicting which ones will step out and make some unexpected moves is difficult, as some have a reputation for being quiet, some for being quarrelsome, and some for being downright unpredictable.

Here are three from each party to keep an eye on this year:

  • House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe: The charismatic Egolf has served in the House for a decade. In last year’s session he spent considerable time fending off Republican efforts to stop or stall bills they didn’t support and he’s likely to serve the same role this year. He recently called for a 10 percent pay raise for teachers, a move Republicans and conservative Democrats are unlikely to support. How he leads and votes this year could play a hand in whether his constituents reelect him, given he faces a challenger for his seat in climate activist, musician, spoken word artist and community organizer Lyla June Johnston. 
  • Sen. Shannon Pinto, D-Gallup: The granddaughter of the late Navajo Code Talker and state Sen. John Pinto will suddenly have a chance to prove whether she can be a political leader. Lujan Grisham appointed Shannon Pinto to serve the rest of her grandfather’s term after he died at the age of 94 in May. Shannon Pinto, who has worked as a public school teacher, says she supports legislation to help women “and their personal health care decision” and sensible gun violence-prevention measures. She has announced plans to run for the seat when her term is over at the end of 2020, so her actions in this year’s session may give voters a sense of where she stands on issues that matter to them.
  • Sen. Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales, D-Ranchos de Taos: The longtime educator, first elected to the House in 1995, now has a chance to make a new name for himself in the Senate after the governor appointed him last month to fill the state Senate seat that had been occupied by the late Carlos Cisneros, who died in September. Gonzales’ experience serving on the powerful Legislative Finance Committee, House Appropriations Committee and House Education Committee gives him insight into financial and education issues, and he’s one of several Democrats pushing for a “health care for all” system in the state. 
  • House Minority Leader Jim Townsend, R-Artesia: Democrats outnumber Republicans 46-24 in the House of Representatives. So when Townsend disagrees with Democrats, he charges his party members with using the only weapon they have: time. They attempt to debate bills until the clock runs out. With President Donald Trump vowing to take New Mexico in the next presidential election, Townsend’s claim that “the people [will] rise up like never before” and support Republican lawmakers may face it’s first “pass-or-fail” test during the session.
  • Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington: Last year the conservative lawmaker led an hours-long filibuster on the Senate floor to stop a bill aimed at shutting down the coal-burning San Juan Generating Station in the Four Corners region. His efforts failed, but he did manage to interrupt the annual House vs. Senate basketball game as many members of the Senate, still clad in basketball attire, were called back to the chamber to cast votes. Sharer is known for barreling straight into conflict with Democrats on issues he disagrees with, setting a bare-knuckles tone that is not easy to ignore or sidestep. He once brought a python to the Senate chamber to mock a Democrat-led bill to allow dogs in restaurants with outdoor seating. And yet, he gets along well with some Democrats and can be persuaded to support their measures. 
  • Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque: Another conservative, Moores often rails against government overreach and says too many regulations strangle business. But Moores will work with Democrats. He co-sponsored a bill last year to ban coyote-killing contests. Moores also is thorough in the Senate Rules Committee, which questions nominees to head Cabinet departments, as well as many boards and commissions. Poring over the fine print of bios, Moores will flag potential conflicts, such as a nominee having a state contract. He digs into these matters in a way that few other Senate Rules Committee members do. 

The trouble within

Seven Senate Democrats who hail mostly from small towns are one of the more powerful voting blocs in the Legislature.

They riled progressives last year when they voted with Republicans to keep a 50-year-old anti-abortion law on the books.

Several of these Democrats also are fiscal conservatives, often viewing expenditures with the same skepticism as their Republican colleagues.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, is the leading opponent in the Legislature of using another 1 percent of the $19 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund to expand early childhood education.

Smith voted against erasing the old anti-abortion statute, and he has opposed legalization of recreational cannabis.

He has drawn a primary opponent, as have most of the other Senate Democrats who stood with opponents of abortion. More liberal Democrats wanted the old law banning abortions to be repealed in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion.

One of the seven who voted to retain the anti-abortion law is Sen. Richard Martinez, D-Ojo Caliente. He recently served time in jail after his conviction for aggravated drunken driving and reckless driving.

Other Democrats in the voting bloc are Sens. Clemente Sanchez of Grants, George Muñoz of Gallup, Pete Campos of Las Vegas, Gabriel Ramos of Silver City and Mary Kay Papen of Las Cruces.

An eighth senator aligned with the group was Carlos Cisneros of Questa. He died at age 71 after the last session.

12 Things To Know at the Roundhouse

This year’s 30-day legislative session begins at noon Tuesday at the Capitol on the corner of Paseo de Peralta and Old Santa Fe Trail.

Here are a dozen helpful hints for navigating the politics, policies and people of the place:

  1. When you walk into the Roundhouse, you are actually on the second floor, where the House and Senate galleries are located. There’s ample seating areas on most days, and the cushy chairs can rival your neighborhood theater. The first floor is the basement. The third floor is where the committees meet. The fourth floor is where the Governor’s Office and the Legislative Council Service are located. Sometimes taking the stairs can be quicker than waiting on the elevator.
  2. You can pick up a fresh copy of the House and Senate calendars and committee agendas every morning in the mailroom on the first floor or online at nmlegis.gov/Calendar/Session.
  3. Don’t rely entirely on House and Senate calendars. The House speaker and Senate majority leader have the right to switch around the order as they see fit. The same goes for committee agendas. Sometimes a committee will hear a piece of legislation out of order as a courtesy to the sponsor, who might have to rush off to another hearing. So the agenda item you thought would be first on the docket may end up in fifth place. Or visa versa. Or not heard at all.
  4. Arrive at committee hearings early. Many of the committee rooms are small, so if you are following a high-profile bill, there’s a good chance the committee room will fill up quickly, and you’ll be left standing in the hall.
  5. It’s legal to carry guns in the Roundhouse, so it’s possible you might see people doing just that, especially if a gun law bill is being discussed.
  6. Contact lawmakers by calling the legislative switchboard: 505-986-4300.
  7. One of the best ways to nab lawmakers is to approach them at their desk in the House or Senate chamber before a floor session starts or right after it ends. But you’ll have to leave when the session starts. Only legislators and staff can go on the House or Senate floor at that point. This rule is strictly enforced.
  8. To make things easy on yourself, know the bill numbers of any legislation you are following. Some issues will be the subject of two or more separate bills. Knowing the bill number will help you follow its progress (or defeat) on the legislative website, nmlegis.gov.
  9. If a committee “tables” a bill, that almost always means it’s dead.
  10. The entrance to the Capitol parking garage is on Galisteo Street north of Paseo de Peralta. Some of the 580 spaces are reserved, but about 300 first-come, first-served spaces are available. It’s free and open late. But the earlier you arrive there, the better chance you have of finding a free place to park. You are not allowed to park in the underground garage. And nearly all the spaces in the surface lot on the east side of the Roundhouse are reserved for staff.
  11. If you prefer to watch the proceedings from your home or office, the floor sessions and many committee meetings are streamed live over the internet at nmlegis.gov/webcast.
  12. If you want to eat at either of the two in-house cafes at the Roundhouse, bring cash, because that’s all they will accept. The food is cheap, good and served up fast, and you may find people who have nothing to do with the legislative session wandering in to enjoy breakfast or lunch there.

Columnist Milan Simonich contributed to this report.

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