Santa Fe, NM – Today, the following legislation passed the New Mexico Senate:
NM Voting Rights Act
On a vote of 27-14, the Senate passed House Bill 4, the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, sponsored by Senator Katy Duhigg, House Speaker Javier Martinez, House Majority Leader Gail Chasey, Representative D. Wonda Johnson, and Representative Raymundo Lara.
Key provisions of House Bill 4 include:
• Enhances New Mexico’s secure Automatic Voter Registration process, implementing gold-standard registration practices.
• Establishes a Permanent Absentee Ballot List, streamlining the process for the growing percentage of voters who vote by mail.
• Clarifies and optimizes the restoration of voting rights of formerly incarcerated individuals
Additionally, House Bill 4 includes the Native American Voting Rights Act which:
• Aligns precinct boundaries to honor the existing political boundaries of Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos.
• Requires translation services at polling locations.
• Allows voters living on tribal lands to designate a nearby tribal government building as their mailing address for purposes of absentee voting.
Currently, New Mexico ranks as the 40th state in the nation for voter participation and 42nd for voter registration. The New Mexico Voting Rights Act now moves to the House for concurrence.
Establishing Dolores Huerta Day
Senate Bill 468 celebrates the contributions and achievements of Dolores Huerta, born in Dawson, New Mexico on April 10, 1930 and pivotal leader of farmworker and labor rights movements. The legislation designates April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day and encourages New Mexicans to organize as a community and undertake efforts and expressions in harmony with the general character of the day. In celebration of Hispanic Culture Day at the Roundhouse, Ms. Huerta addressed a Joint Session of the Legislature on February 14, saying, “People ask me where I got my values from, I say I got them from New Mexico.”
Enshrining Water Conservation and Planning
In a vital move for the future of New Mexico’s water resources, the Senate passed Senate Bill 337 sponsored by Senator Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics. Senate Bill 337 creates new regional water planning authorities and funding mechanisms for the Interstate Stream Commission. As stakeholders finalize New Mexico’s 50-year Water Plan, securing water supplies and addressing environmental threats affecting future generations through the ISC are essential.
“Senate Bill 337 further enables local communities to band together and be proactive in addressing New Mexico’s water resource needs. The wellbeing of future generations relies on smart, deliberate regional water plans,” said Senator Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics (D-Cerrillos).
Additional legislation passed on the Senate Floor today:
SB260 – DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY REFERENCES
SB286 – DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
SB368 – LAW ENFORCEMENT BODY CAM EXCEPTIONS
SB143 – NONPROFIT GAMING MACHINE PAYOUTS
SB240 – TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION TAX AUDITS
SB373 – OFFICE OF CHILD ADVOCATE ACT
The Senate also concurred with House amendments to Senate Bill 1: Regional Water System Resiliency. SB1 now goes to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.
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