John Block

On Saturday, the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee voted 6-4 along party lines to pass radical anti-energy legislation, H.J.R. 2, which would add a “Green Amendment” to the New Mexico Constitution. It would mandate vague terms such as “clean and healthy” environment, “stable climate,” and a “self-sustaining ecosystem,” which would open up countless lawsuits against the oil and gas industry based on arbitrary, subjective terms enshrined in the amendment. It now goes before the full House of Representatives. 

Here are the bills you need to know about for Monday. It is a busy day and Democrats are trying to stretch conservatives thin on these radical bills. Help show up to testify against them today:

H.B. 227 by Rep. Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup)

After scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “hydrogen hub” legislation died in committee with Republicans and far-left activists both rejecting it, a dummy “public peace and safety” bill has been reintroduced through H.B. 227 by Rep. Lundstrom. 

According to the legislation, it will be responsible for “PROVIDING FOR THE DESIGNATION OF HYDROGEN HUBS; ALLOWING PUBLIC PARTNERS TO ENTER INTO PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS TO FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROGEN HUB PROJECTS; CREATING THE HYDROGEN HUB DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND SPECIFYING POWERS; ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL OF HYDROGEN HUB PROJECTS; CREATING THE HYDROGEN HUB PROJECT FUND; AUTHORIZING GRANTS, LOANS AND REVENUE BONDS; SPECIFYING POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY.”

The bill will bypass the Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee and be rammed through in the House Appropriations and Finance Commitee on Monday after the House floor session. It should be noted that Lundstrom just so happens to be the chair of the Committee, which is why the legislation has been fast-tracked. Interestingly, no Zoom details have been provided by the committee, in an apparent attempt to keep the public out of the process on this bill.

H.M. 38 LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING STUDY by Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe)

This bill would enshrine Critical Race Theory into police departments across the state, citing its attempt to bring “CULTURALLY AND SOCIALLY RELEVANT RESPONSES TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS” to the force. 

The supposed “training needs” cited in the bill will study the implementation of training “regarding culturally relevant responses to emergency situations involving law enforcement officers and firefighters, the need for trauma informed training related to sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking and the need for a better understanding of the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer populations in our state.”

Although House memorials do not include appropriations, the study proposed in H.B. 38 will be funded through the backdoor, according to the fiscal impact report, which reads:

“The House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 2 includes a $250 thousand nonrecurring appropriation from the general fund for a job task analysis for law enforcement officers statewide, which will inform the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy’s curriculum. Studying the issues identified in this memorial could align with that work. HB2 also includes a $892.8 thousand nonrecurring appropriation from the general fund to increase state police advanced training initiatives and a $140 thousand recurring general fund appropriation to establish a law enforcement assisted diversion (LEAD) program within state police. These trainings and programs could be informed by the assessment requested by HM38.” 

You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Feb 8, 2022 01:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Topic: House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82353539692 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128,,82353539692# or +12532158782,,82353539692# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 823 5353 9692

URGENT: H.B. 6, the “Clean Future Act” by Rep. Nathan Small (D-Doña Ana)

This radical bill would further cripple energy producers in New Mexico by mandating the Environmental Improvement Board adopt rules that would force the reduction of “greenhouse gas emissions.” 

“by 2030, statewide direct emissions of greenhouse gases shall not exceed fifty percent of 2005 levels; and by 2050, total statewide greenhouse gas emissions shall achieve at least net-zero emissions; provided that total statewide direct emissions of greenhouse gases shall not exceed ten percent of 2005 levels in 2050 or any subsequent year,” the bill reads.

The extremist bill will be heard in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee on Monday at 8:30 a.m. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88201222358 Or One tap mobile : US: +13462487799,,88201222358# or +16699009128,,88201222358# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 882 0122 2358

H.B. 126, STATE PERSONNEL DIVERSITY ACT by Reps. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo) and Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe).

This bill would implement Critical Race Theory into state agencies, which mandates the “Chief Diversity Officer” of the state to “lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equality, equity and inclusion initiatives in support of the state’s strategic plan to create a culture of diversity, equality, equity and inclusion pursuant to Section 6 of the Diversity Act.”

Here are some definitions, as written in the Critical Race Theory bill: 

D. “diversity” means the practice of including or involving people from a range of different racial or ethnic backgrounds and may also include persons of every background, gender, race, sexual orientation, age and disability; 

E. “equality” means the equivalent treatment of and opportunity for members of different groups within society regardless of individual distinctions of race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class, sexual orientation or other characteristics or circumstances; 

F. “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all people, including people who belong to underserved communities; 

G. “gender identity” means the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person, regardless of the person’s designated sex at birth; 

H. “inclusion” means the process of creating a working culture and environment that recognizes, appreciates and effectively utilizes the talents, skills and perspectives of every state employee; uses state employee skills to achieve a state agency’s objectives and mission; connects each state employee to the organization; and encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness in the workplace; 

I. “inequities” means disparities in physical health, mental health, economic opportunities, education or social factors; 

J. “institutional racism” means actions that result in differential access to the goods, services and opportunities of society due to the existence of institutional programs, policies and practices that intentionally or unintentionally place certain racial and ethnic groups at a disadvantage in relation to other groups; 

The bill will be heard on Monday at 8:30 a.m. as well in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee. Zoom details below: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88201222358 Or One tap mobile : US: +13462487799,,88201222358# or +16699009128,,88201222358# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 882 0122 2358

H.B. 68, CRIMINAL CODE CHANGES, by Rep. Meredith Dixon (D-Bernalillo)

H.B. 68 is a radical anti-gun bill proposed by Rep. Meredith Dixon (D-Bernalillo) that would make a felon of 18-year-olds who are knowingly carrying a handgun on their person except when attending a safety course, target shooting, or other minor instances. 

As state Rep. Stefani Lord, one of the representatives to oppose the bill said, the legislation would be a “pipeline to prison” and would punish survivors of domestic abuse who buy guns and don’t know they can’t carry them. 

Also, the bill’s fiscal impact report notes that it would cost taxpayers $3 million over the next three years to implement the new provisions, such as imprisonment and legal costs, etc. This cost would be directly at the expense of taxpayers. 

The bill will be heard at 1:30 p.m. on Monday in the House Judiciary Committee. Zoom details below: 

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85381395136 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128,,85381395136# or +12532158782,,85381395136# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 853 8139 5136

S.B. 159, LEGISLATIVE RETIREMENT CHANGES by Sens. Stuart Ingle (R-Portales), Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

This bill would further enrich legislators with increased retirement benefits, with a pension increase of 27 percent for legislators who retire at the age of 65 or older, according to the bill’s fiscal impact report.

This bill will be heard at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Monday in the Senate Finance Committee. The Zoom details are below: 

For public participation, click the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81679647964 to join the Webinar or via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 816 7964 7964

S.B. 202, Compensation for Certain Public Officials by Sen. Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas).

This bill would increase the governor’s and all state-level positions’ salaires by a massive amount. The governor would be paid $150,000 — an increase of 36.36% while all state-level officials, including state auditor, treasurer, and secretary of state would receive a 35.29% increase in salary. The attorney general would receive a 31.57% increase in salary and the commissioner of public lands would receive a 38.88% increase. This fiscally irresponsible bill will pay politicians — who already are of little to no use to New Mexico — even more money. The pay increases far exceed inflation, which is currently at 7%. 

The bill will be heard at 1:30 on Monday in the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee. Here are the Zoom details:

For public participation, click the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87967039414 to join the Webinar or via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 879 6703 9414

S.B. 8, VOTERS’ RIGHTS PROVISIONS, by Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) and Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

This extremist bill would install third-world elections in New Mexico. Public comment will not be heard since it was heard on Friday about this bill, but the committee should be closely watched. Read more about the proposed bill here.

The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. on Monday in the Senate Rules Committee

Join the Zoom meeting here: For public participation click the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86412647187 to join the Webinar or via telephone 1-253-215-8782 Webinar ID: 864 1264 7187