Our second week in Santa Fe was filled with inspiring community actions, progress on bills we’re rooting for, and emerging details about the rest of the legislative agenda. On Thursday evening, we gathered with Planned Parenthood and other friends to honor the brilliant legal efforts of an attorney who worked fiercely to protect access to abortion and gender affirming care in the last legislative session! We also spent many hours in the roundhouse cafeteria breaking bread and strategizing. This work is tough, but we are fortunate to have lots of friends helping us out!
Our second week in Santa Fe was filled with inspiring community actions, progress on bills we’re rooting for, and emerging details about the rest of the legislative agenda. On Thursday evening, we gathered with Planned Parenthood and other friends to honor the brilliant legal efforts of an attorney who worked fiercely to protect access to abortion and gender affirming care in the last legislative session! We also spent many hours in the roundhouse cafeteria breaking bread and strategizing. This work is tough, but we are fortunate to have lots of friends helping us out!
The Paid Family Medical Leave bill (HB6/SB3) was heard on Wednesday, with many speaking up for its benefits. An alternative Paid Family Medical Leave bill (HB 11) was also shut down. The failed legislation was designed to support only mothers who recently gave birth and did not include LGBTQ familes or gender-affirming care. It only guaranteed 6 weeks of leave paid by the state and employee, not the employer. This is a great development for HB6/SB3 as it continues on in the process, and we are grateful for the members of the House Health Committee who saw beyond this ploy. We believe that caring for our families is not only a human right and a matter of dignity, but it is New Mexico values. It is the responsibility of everyone in our communities to
Library-lovers can cheer for Sen Harold Pop and Representative Kathleen Cates (D-Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties) as the Prohibit Library Book Banning (HB123)is waiting for a message from the Governor so it can be heard. The bill makes libraries that ban books because of ideological material or disapproval of sexual orientation and other identifiers ineligible for state funding.
EQNM Champions Linda Serrato, Christine Chandler, and Kristina Ortez were incredible advocates this week. We’re not surprised to see them on the front lines, since they have previously supported legislation that helps trans people legally change their names, calls for gender affirming care, and expanding the Human Rights Act.
STAY TUNED
We continue to await details on a variety of gun measures, as well as a panhandling bill. Our LGBTQ community is uniquely impacted by issues of violence, poverty, and homelessness so we will continue to closely monitor these developments to ensure that our safety and health are not compromised.
Keep up with us and keep the faith as we move deeper into the legislative process! We’ll be back with another update next week.