HB7 Scheduled for Judiciary Committee
Dear friends,
The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Healthcare Freedom Act, HB7, will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, 2/8, at 1:30pm. We will be in Santa Fe once again, speaking in opposition of this bill but we also need your voice to help specifically target the Judiciary concerns.
Reminder:
This house bill will ban sanctuaries for the unborn in New Mexico cities; strip municipalities of the right to restrict access to abortion and gender changing surgeries; create legal enforcement mechanisms that will make moral objectors vulnerable to civil suits; and spread unrestricted access to these services across the state.
Written Comments & Phone Calls:
To those of us who cherish life, our passion would drive us to try to remind the committee members how grievous this bill is for our state and for life. However, the Judiciary Committee exists to determine how a bill will effect the state legally and constitutionally. Therefore, we ask that you submit comments reflecting concerns over these four issues:
- This bill threatens the autonomy of local government by stripping municipalities of the right to operate in accordance with the voter voice of their community.
- The language of the bill is dangerously broad making moral objectors vulnerable to civil suits. Moral objectors could be anyone from doctors, counselors, teachers, and even foster parents.
- Due to the broad language of this bill, the legal enforcement mechanism within it opens the door to frivolous law suits throughout our state which will only serve to be a further burden on our already burdened judicial system.
- The services outlined in this bill are elective procedures. Access to life-saving care is available at hospitals; therefore, there is no denial, restriction or interference for individuals who may find themselves needing medically necessary treatment.
Please contact the committee members today and share your concerns. Urge them to vote NO on HB7.
Public Comments:
We also need voices to provide public comments on Wednesday in the committee hearing. You can do so in-person in room 309 at the Capitol Building, or you can provide comments via Zoom at the link below.
When providing public comment at the hearing consider these tips:
- You will only have 1 minute to speak.
- Have your message prepared ahead of time.
- Stick to addressing the judiciary concerns that are relevant to the hearing.
- Choose your words wisely! With only 1 minute to speak, you want your message to be efficient and effective. Fewer words that are more powerful are far more effective than many words that lose their message.
- Please refrain from using words or messaging that is solely meant to evoke an emotional response. We agree that abortion is wrong; however, many in the audience to whom you will be speaking (Judiciary Committee) are generally in favor of abortion. Therefore, comments that are solely meant to evoke an emotional response are likely to fall on deaf ears and go unheard. The best message you can give to resonate in this committee is one that shows the effects on the judicial system in our state.
It's time to stand firm! Let your voice be heard today!
Click here for the Judiciary Committee Members contact information.
To join the hearing via zoom, please click the link below to join the webinar on Wednesday, 2/8 at 1:30pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81793611432
