New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman's Blog

Ask the Governor to Sign My Bills

        This week I’m asking everyone to contact the Governor’s office by mail (Office of the Governor, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501) or  phone (505-476-2200) or via fax ( ask for the number)  with a request that he sign the bills that I was able to pass during the regular session, especially:

SB 165 & 448: The Credit Security Freeze sponsored by Sen. Sharer and Sen. Feldman to allow consumers to protect themselves vs. identity theft

            SB 407:  Mandate HPV Vaccine Insurance Coverage

SB 428:  Small Employer Health Coverage Wait Period  to allow small non-profits to join a state insurance program without a period of no insurance

SB 486: Conservancy District Liability Immunity to enable Ditches with Trails and other trail projects along conservancy ditches

They really do count the phone calls!

Standoff at the OK Corral - NM style (with audio)

With the special session set to begin tomorrow, legislation important to people across New Mexico waits to be acted upon.  Click to hear me discuss the special session --> Dede032307.mp3 .  Please contact your State Senator and urge him or her to stick with it until the important remaining legislation is acted upon.

Go to the following site for contact information for your State Senator the New Mexico Legislature Website .

Ethics Bills, Domestic Partners at Stake in Iffy Special Session

Call your Senator to Stick in Session if These Matter to You


For me, the Senate’s decision Tuesday to Sine Die reflected more than
exhaustion, more than a fit of pique with the Governor and the House.
It reflected a continued dismissal of ethics reform as urgent business
that the state must deal with one way or the other. As many of you
know these were major, contested issues for me during the regular
session. And, for the most part, I lost. But the Special Session
represents another opportunity to pass some meaningful reforms.

...

To recap what you’ve already seen in the news – the enactment of
campaign contribution limits, public financing for judicial campaigns,
an ethics commission were included in the Governor’s proclamation for
the special, along with GRIP II, domestic partners, and an increase in
domestic violence penalties.

In what seemed like a final blow, my bill to limit campaign
contributions was defeated by one vote in the final seconds of the
session when Sen. Joe Carraro changed his vote, and one Democrat whom
I thought was voting for the measure (Sen. John Arthur Smith) voted
no. Sen. Linda Lopez, Sen. Tim Jennings and Sen. Shannon Robinson
were the other Democrats who voted no.  All  —and I
mean all—of the Republicans voted against the caps—the same measure
that they had moved (unsuccessfully) to push back until 3007.

We still have a chance to pass some of these measures, but first you
have to convince your Senator that ethics reform is an emergency.
That’s certainly what the task force felt; it’s what the Governor
wants, and, I believe it’s what the public wants, too.

But only a massive outpouring from you can help. Contact:

Sen. Lopez Linda.Lopez@nmlegis.gov  phone:986-4737
Sen. Pinto John.Pinto@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4835
Sen. John Arthur Smith john.smith@nmlegis.gov phone:986-4363
Sen. Michael Sanchez senatormssanchez@aol.com phone: 986-4727
Sen. James Taylor jamesg.taylor@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4862
Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, especially. bernadette.sanchez@nmlegis.gov phone: 986-4267

More on this later—but for your amusement, I’ve attached a photo of
the inbox I returned to after the session adjourned on Saturday. I’ve
spent most of the week digging out., and figuring out how to get back
to my business.

Legislation Audio Updates -Take A Listen

Legislation is moving through both houses of the legislature. Here are some updates on legislation you maybe following and/or are interested in.

--> Identity Theft Protection - listen to the audio - ( Download and play ID-theft.mp3 )

                                                 
The Credit Security Freeze-aimed at Identity Theft-- will hits the Senate Floor today.

Please call all Senators to pass Senate Judiciary Committee Substitute for 448 and 165.  

    Senator Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) had an industry-backed bill. We got everyone together and hammered out a compromise, which was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday. We are still trying to accommodate the auto dealers-who want consumers to be able to "thaw" their credit almost immediately.

    Miss New Mexico, a victim of identity theft, who has made this her platform, was at the Capitol Friday to help. And many others have sent e-mails. Keep 'em coming. We're a long way from home.

--> Victory for Young Women with Passage of HPV Vaccination Coverage - listen to audio -
(  Download HPV.mp3 )
I'm pleased that my SB 407 passed which requires insurance companies to cover the cost of HPV vaccinations. This is good news for young women in New Mexico. Listen to find out more.

--> Ditches with Trails Hits a Snag - listen to the audio - ( Download ditches-trails.mp3 )

    One of the most encouraging projects for both the North and South Valleys- the Ditches with Trails Project-was dealt a setback Friday when Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee failed to pass a bill that would have transferred liability from the Conservancy or other Irrigation Districts to the State Parks Department, the City or other entities agreeing to manage and accept responsibility for the public trail.

    SB 486 was aimed at resolving a problem that has kept the MRGCD from opening the ditches running up and down the valley to full public access, a necessary ingredient for trail development now planned in the Los Griegos area of the North Valley and the Atrisco area in the South Valley.   

Call member of the Judiciary Committee, particularly Senator Linda Lopez (D- Albuquerque), who represents the South Valley, and Senator. Cisco McSorley (D-Albuquerque) to get them to change their vote and move the bill along.