On Friday, a pro-life bill, H.B. 258, will be heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee at 8:30 a.m. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), is dubbed the “New Mexico Heartbeat Act” to protect children in the womb from the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The bill reads, “A health care provider who knowingly performs an abortion and thereby kills a human fetus without determining, according to standard medical practice, whether the fetus has a detectable heartbeat; without informing the pregnant woman of the results of that determination; or after determining, according to standard medical practice, that the fetus has a heartbeat is guilty of a third degree felony resulting in the death of a human fetus.”
Block’s legislation also reaffirms that the woman would not be liable, but rather the doctor performing the illicit procedure. It reads, “Nothing in this section shall be construed to
allow the prosecution of a woman who receives an abortion.”
Contact the members of the committee to urge their support. Their contact information can be found here:
- Chair: Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson (D). District 24 (Bernalillo). Room 314B, 986-4425. Email: liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov
- Vice Chair: Pamelya Herndon (D). District 28 (Bernalillo). Room 206B, 986-4248. Email: pamelya.herndon@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: Jenifer Jones (R). District 32 (Doña Ana, Hidalgo & Luna). Room 203A, 986-4227. Email: Jenifer.Jones@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Kathleen Cates (D). District 44 (Bernalillo & Sandoval). Room 203BN, 986-4254. Email: Kathleen.Cates@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Eleanor Chavez (D). District 26 (Bernalillo). Room 205B, 986-4242. Email: Eleanor.Chavez@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Joanne J. Ferrary (D). District 37 (Doña Ana). Room 314C, 986-4844. Email: joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Tara Jaramillo (D). District 38 (Doña Ana, Sierra & Socorro). Room 203AN, 986-4255. Email: Tara.Jaramillo@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Stefani Lord (R). District 22 (Bernalillo & Torrance). Room 203HN, 986-4453. Email: stefani.lord@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Reena Szczepanski (D). District 47 (Santa Fe). Room 134C, 986-4777. Email: reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Harlan Vincent (R). District 56 (Lincoln & Otero). Room 203FN, 986-4467. Email: Harlan.Vincent@nmlegis.gov
To testify at the meeting, it will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the state Capitol, room 307. To join via Zoom, the video conference details are below:
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84266137922 Page 6 of 10 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128, 84266137922# or +17193594580, 84266137922# Webinar ID: 842 6613 7922 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbtl0LBS50
John,
Thanks for courageously sponsoring HB 258. I sent an email to each of the members of this committee encouraging them to support this bill. I pray they “harden not their hearts” and vote in favor of this bill…
John, I’m trying to scan a 15 week sonogram into my emails to the legislators. Thank you for trying to give voice to the unborn. God bless. -p-
I think all should be able to see what a 15 week gestation looks like. It would be before the pregnant person would feel the baby. It would make it more real that it is a living child with a separate body. We also need a way for the woman to carry out the pregnancy as the woman may not be able to work during the pregnancy, or be able to afford to raise the child by herself.
I have had young pregnant woman work for me and they fall asleep on the job. They need to be able to be home to rest.
Too bad the hearing today went “long” and this will not be addressed today. This committee cut hearing the testimony of nurses on zoom, on the phone, and in person on a bill that would establish nursing quotas to patients. It was an interesting loop.
I am aware that in some cases where a pregnant mother is killed and the fetus/unborn child is also killed, the person responsible is charged with TWO deaths! How can the law support abortion when another law protects the unborn from harm????? Anna
A bill like this will never pass in this state. The pro-abortion lobby has spent way too much money, installing many of these democrat politicians (see Liz Thomson’s top campaign contributors). As we all know too well, many of these politicians, regardless of their party affiliation, are beholden to the money that funded their campaigns, not the people who elected them.
I feel that this issue is between God and the woman. However I also think that planned parenthood should be defunded. The only criteria I would like to see is before you have an abortion you must see a sonogram of the pregnancy and wait 24 hours. Amen. As a friend of mine said, that baby will be with you maybe 18 years but the murder of your unborn will haunt you for the rest of your life-