1. RED FLAG BILL ADVANCES TO FULL SENATE AS OPPOSITION REMAINS
STRONG
The New Mexico Senate will soon get SB5, now a revised Red Flag bill, after the Senate Judiciary Committee cleared the legislation by a slim vote of 6-5. The legislation has been reworked to allow only law enforcement officials and not family members to petition for guns to be confiscated temporarily from people whom they believe pose a danger to themselves or others. The bill passed despite more vocal opposition at the Roundhouse. This bill is a blatant violation of 2nd Amendment rights and search and seizure practices. Oppose Red Flag!
Keep up the good fight! Call your Senators and demand the Senate reject this gun grab legislation.
For this debate, Speaker Brian Egolf locked down parts of the Capitol. Does anyone support his decision to deny access to the People’s Roundhouse? Call the Speaker at (505) 986-4782 and tell him how you feel!
2. HOUSE APPROVES BLOATED $7.6 BILLION BUDGET PACKED WITH SPENDING INCREASES
The tax-happy, Left-leaning Democrats continue their irresponsible ways. The House passed HB2, the General Appropriations Act of 2020, by a vote of 46-24 along party lines after a three-hour debate. The spending plan represents a 7.5% increase from the current fiscal year, boosting spending in areas such as early childhood education. Endless spending again. Progressive Democrats won’t learn fiscal responsibility and seem to be in fantasy land when it comes to the apparent belief that oil and gas revenues will be gushing into Santa Fe forever.
The budget bill, fattened with more than half a billion dollars in spending increases, now heads to the Senate. Republicans are outraged and frustrated with this out-of-control taxing and spending. This bill should lower spending and put more money into reserves.
“Do we all just believe that throwing money at a problem is the solution?” said Rep. Jason Harper, (R)-Rio Rancho. “I would say that is never the solution.” Harper says Republicans are terrified by what progressive Democrats are doing with the budget.
3. DEMOCRATS REJECT REPUBLICANS’ ALTERNATIVE BUDGET PLAN ON FLOOR
Hours before the House passed the bloated budget, Republican leaders had introduced the People’s Budget in a press conference. It’s a more fiscally responsible spending package, including more fiscal restraint and cautious spending growth. The full House shot down this alternative plan quickly along a party-line vote. Rep. Harper’s proposal would have increased the state budget by a reasonable and sustainable 4.3%, paid every New Mexican a $200 payment from the recent surplus, and created a game-changing program aimed at improving academic progress for at-risk students. How about those Left-leaning Democrats–denying hard-working New Mexicans a $200 rebate from the surplus!
“It is shocking that our colleagues continue to spend at these reckless levels, worse than Governor Richardson’s spending,” said Harper. “The People’s Budget was a proposal that had the potential to radically improve educational outcomes and provided New Mexicans with relief from over-taxation.”
“Democrats in the Governor’s office and in the legislature have proven once again that they shouldn’t be trusted with your checkbook,” said House Minority Whip Rod Montoya (R)-Farmington.
Yesterday’s budget actions have Republicans concerns about the fiscal dangers that might lie ahead, particularly if oil and gas revenues dry up.
“By increasing our state budget by 20% in the last two years the Democrats in control have set us up for future budget cuts and massive tax increases,” said House Minority Leader Jim Townsend. “Our budget would have established a sustainable path to prosperity without burdening our wage-earners.”
4. ELECTION LAWS CLEANUP ACT MOVES FOWARD IN HOUSE
HB229 is on its way to the House Judiciary Committee after it passed the House State Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee yesterday. This is the bill that deceitfully calls for the elimination of three mandatory items for voter identification for absentee ballots. By law you must have your name, address and year of birth on the ballot. In the bill, this language is crossed off. Should this bill become law, it will lead to absentee voting chaos and fraud.
It’s no coincidence that the Republican Party of New Mexico filed a lawsuit last year against the Secretary of State and the Dona Ana County Clerk for deliberately allowing voters to turn in ballots without the proper ID qualifications. It appears to be a quiet way to void the Party’s lawsuit, which demands that the law be followed.
Tell everyone to stop this bill! Call your lawmaker and say NO to HB229.
ROUNDHOUSE PROFILES: WORKING HARD FOR YOU
Rep. Gail Armstrong lives in Magdalena and represents Catron, Socorro and Valencia Counties.
