A Hint of What's to Come

By Jennie Lusk

So much good has come from the New Mexico's first session of the 56th Legislature we can’t fit it all in one edition of The Blue Review.

We will be adding updates piecemeal in the weeks ahead in the hope that we can inform Democrats of the details of some of the landmark legislation passed, especially as it is signed.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has until April 7 to sign bills passed by the Democratic House and Senate, or consign them to a heap of “pocket vetoes.” Because she can call a halt to bills passed and can line-item veto the generous budget, we attempt to be cautious in celebrating the positive changes resulting from this 60-day session.

However, we are also hopeful that she will continue inking her name on the worthy bills, as she has for the Bennie Hargrove gun legislation (HB 9 sponsored by Rep. Pamelya Herndon) and the marvelous bill supporting reproductive and gender affirming health care (HB 7, sponsored by Reps. Linda Serrato, Charlotte Little, Kristina Ortez, Reena Szczepanski and Janelle Anyanonu).

The Governor already deserved kudos and gratitude when she announced that $10 million of her executive discretionary appropriations would be devoted establishing a new reproductive health care center in Doña Ana County. Her continued leadership in support of women’s health is nationally significant and, unfortunately, all too rare.

In any case, check back as we report on the accomplishments of our Democratic majorities in the state's legislature. We volunteers helped elect this special crew to represent our priorities, and have watched as this session unfolded. Even though worthy bills did not pass, it’s worth celebrating the ones that did, especially as they become the law of the land.

Help Support Street Safe

We are lucky: A home, the ability to read, access to electricity and technology, clothing, and a caring community are privileges you and I likely have in common. Our community is not perfect, but it does offer many comforts and conveniences. But some among us are not so lucky.

I was moved by a presentation I heard tonight by Christine Barber, one of the founders of Street Safe, an all-volunteer nonprofit that serves women who have been victims of trafficking. Street Safe volunteers “prefer to be where we make a difference — on the street. Talking and laughing with the women we serve. Helping them stay alive.” By listening while giving out supplies, volunteers identify actions that can transform a life, create a new situation, and make possible a fuller humanity.

At our Saturday, March 25 CCC meeting (see more info below), we will be collecting chocolate and supplies such as clothing, pads, and toiletries for Street Safe to give to women on the street. A list of supplies is below, and monetary donations can be made at Donations | Street Safe (streetsafenewmexico.org).

Join me in supporting this important work.

We are building the bridge to a more just and equitable democracy as we cross it.



Yours in service and with gratitude,

Flora

Affordable Health Insurance--Perhaps

Imagine: One day middle-income people in New Mexico could have comprehensive medical care at a reasonable cost.

House Bill 400, “State-Administered Health Coverage Plan,” which passed the House 58-10 and the Senate 24-15, is awaiting the governor’s signature, and thousands of New Mexicans who work in small business with minimal health coverage are watching and waiting, too.

The bill, sponsored by Speaker Javier Martinez with co-sponsorship of Senators Leo Jaramillo and Siah Correa Hemphill and Reps. Reena Szczepanski and Patricia Roybal Caballero, directs the secretary of the state Human Services Department (HSD) to study the possibilities of creating and implementing of “Medicaid Forward,” program to leverage federal Medicaid to provide a state-administered health care coverage option.

Almost half of New Mexico’s people (actually, 47%) are already on Medicaid, which has been expanded to cover even single people without children who make under 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL). However, federal support for “expanded” Medicaid as implemented during the pandemic is slated to end soon and HSD is sending current Medicaid recipients turquoise envelopes alerting them of the need to renew their benefits.

According to a fiscal impact analysis for HB 400, approximately another 120,832 New Mexicans (5.7%) could enroll in Medicaid Forward if it were implemented today, covering adults, children, parents, and caretakers. A February 2022 study conducted by research firm PerryUndem says half of New Mexicans forgo health care services because of cost.

The study funded through HB 400—if signed by the governor—would help policymakers decide whether and how, and at what cost New Mexico could expand Medicaid health coverage to people under age 65 who make up to 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL). The study would involve HSD, the state superintendent of insurance (SOI), a Medicaid advisory committee, and tribes and pueblos to study operational needs for and effects of implementing the plan in New Mexico. The group would report its findings in October of 2024—in time for the next long legislative session.

SB 84: Reasonable Incarceration Policy

Thanks to Senators Bill O’Neill and Antonio Maestas, people on probation and parole in New Mexico may not be faced with more prison time for “technical violations.” If the governor signs their SB 84 reducing the population returned to prison for a technical violation, New Mexico taxpayers will save money spent on incarceration, and without additional risk of danger.

This is because SB 84 defines the reasons for re-committing a person to more time in a cell will be based on whether the person is dangerous or actively committing crimes. The bill—approved 31-8 in the Senate and 39-28 in the House—defines a “technical violation” as one that does not create a threat to the former prisoner or to others, does not violate a requirement to refrain from having contact with a victim or witness, and that does not constitute a new crime.

The bill also establishes the option of non-incarceration penalties the parole board and/or the courts considering a revocation of probation can impose based on whether a person poses a flight risk, and establishes procedures for imposing re-incarceration for repeat technical violations.

New Mexicans have no need to incarcerate people who aren’t dangerous and who are not committing new crimes. Our purpose for incarceration should be to keep people safer. However, until or unless the governor signs SB 84, a probationer or parolee in New Mexico faces more incarceration for technical violations as minimal as failing to report timely for an appointment with a probation or parole officer, failing to pay a fine, failing to complete a treatment program, or testing positive for drugs or alcohol. This is so even though statistics indicate that it’s a rare addicted person who’s able to get “clean” on the first try—or even the fifth. We know that people who are released without jobs can expect to have difficulty affording transportation or phones that support staying in close touch with probation or parole officers.

The average cost per inmate incarcerated in New Mexico was $36,832 in 2015 according to the Vera Foundation. Though published summary figures for 2022 are not readily available, that number could reasonably be updated to indicate that New Mexico taxpayers each pay some $300 for each person held behind bars (the 2022 state population of 2.11 million divided by the total number of prisoners projected this year by the state’s sentencing commission—5384). If the governor vetoes SB 84, taxpayers could expect that a quarter of those incarcerated this year would be serving for a probation or parole violation.

The U.S. rate of incarceration, with nearly 1 out of every 100 adults in prison or jail, is 5 to 10 times higher than the rates in Western Europe and other democracies. The U.S. prison population is largely drawn from the most disadvantaged part of the nation's population: mostly men under age 40, disproportionately minority and poorly educated, many with drug or alcohol addiction, mental and physical illness, and little work preparation or experience.

In a 2020 performance report, the Legislative Finance Committee noted that a sample of parole files closed in 2016 found that 67% of parolees violated conditions at least once; 75% for substance use or absconding. In total that year, 43% of parolees had their parole revoked and were sent back to prison after an average of 2.7 violations in the course of about a year. The report card noted that technical parole violations played a significant role in driving overall prison population.

Three cheers for passage of SB 84! Let’s hope the governor signs it and New Mexico is able to take another step toward crafting incarceration policy that protects us rather than merely draining taxpayer pockets.

By the time this legislative session is over, there will be many causes for Democrats to celebrate. Voting rights strides are among them.

There’s every reason to assume Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will sign HB 4, one of the most important voting rights bills in the country, and SB 180, a bill transforming New Mexico’s election processes. Both bills have passed both houses of the legislature well before the closing of this session at noon March 18.  

New Mexico continues to lead in encouraging more voter participation as once-reasonable states concentrate on restricting it. Further, the state is upgrading its processes for registering, balloting, assessing, and notifying voters of primaries and general elections, all while guaranteeing the security of election programs.

HB 4

HB 4, sponsored by House Speaker Javier Martinez with Reps. Gail Chasey, Wonda Johnson, Raymundo Lara and Senator Katy Duhigg, makes it easier to vote and to register to vote. The most important of its changes is making voter registration “opt-out” rather than “opt-in” as it currently is, a process termed “automatic voter registration,” or AVR.  

With AVR, the State will presume that those who give their information to the state through car registration or applying for public benefits prefer to register to vote as well, if they are qualified and have not already registered.  

Everyone has the option to opt out, of course, but people in the 20-odd states that now use AVR have not found many opting out. In fact, since Oregon became the first state in the nation to implement AVR in 2016, registration rates quadrupled at motor vehicle offices. Similarly, in Vermont, AVR triggered an increase of 62% in voter registration the first six months after implementation in 2017, according to the Brennan Center. As in other states, New Mexico voter information will be updated automatically when registration changes for a move or other change in the voter’s information.

HB 4 also keeps people from losing their right to vote permanently upon conviction of a felony. Under current law, a person convicted of a felony may be able to regain the right to vote after fulfilling all the terms of probation and parole. With the governor’s signature on HB 4, an incarcerated person can register to vote again when close to release, but before completing probation or parole.

SB 180

Bernalillo County Democrats are likely to be especially grateful for the 176-page SB 180, sponsored by Sens. Duhigg and Reps. Leo Jaramillo and Chasey. The bill substantially cleans up scores of sections of legal provisions for the processes by which voters are notified of state elections, how elections are conducted, certified, and tallied. The bill allows for electronic signatures on nominating petitions—substantially decreasing the difficulty for a candidate to get on the ballot (and reducing the workload of many a Democratic Party volunteer.) The bill establishes a requirement for training election challengers and watchers, and allows for changes in rule to make home addresses of legislative candidates confidential for security purposes. It authorizes the Secretary of State to create a permanent mailed ballot registry so that those who prefer voting by mail can, by registering their preference, receive all election ballots by mail.

The fact that both bills passed by substantial margins is heartening, especially in an era with election deniers chipping away at legitimacy of elections in other states.New Mexicans can be proud of the legislative sponsors and our elected officials for making changes to support more election participation and more legitimacy and accountability in elections.

What: Bernalillo County Central Committee (CCC) Meeting 

Where: UNM Continuing Education Auditorium 1634 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131 

When: Saturday, March 25. Doors open at 1:00 pm, when we’ll kick off with tabling, mariachi music, light snacks, door prizes, and all-around festive fun!

The program starts promptly at 1:30 with a welcome from Bernalillo County Chair Flora Lucero, presentation of the colors by the American Legion Honor Guard (Post 13), and vocalist Ane Romero singing the national anthem. 

The agenda going forward:

• Opening address from Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller
• Presentation on equity in education by members of the APS School Board and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation
• County Party candidates present themselves 
• Video on voting rights with Maggie Toulouse-Oliver
• County Clerk Linda Stover and Deputy County Clerk Michelle Kavanaugh discuss equity in voting rights
• State Party candidates present themselves
• Farewells from Bernalillo Dems County Chair Flora Lucero and Vice Chair Danny Leiva

Throughout the day we’ll recap our county party accomplishments and recognize the volunteers and committee members who helped make it all possible. 

About voting: You do not have to attend the meeting in order to vote for County and State Party candidates. We’ll be sending out electronic ballots to CCC members the day after, so everyone can make their choices online. 

Thanks to the Albuquerque Teachers Federation for their generous sponsorship of the day!

West Side Dems Meet March 27

Electing Leaders to Keep the West Side Blue

MEETING INFO:

Monday, March 27                 

6:00-7:30 pm

Don Newton Taylor Ranch Community Center

4900 Kachina St. NW – 87120

Our meetings include snacks!

Also available on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89688048333?pwd=MTdpUXNLUUZ5YzRMWjMxYkthQ3V2dz09

AT THIS MEETING: 

• We will meet our candidates for WSD offices and ask them questions. 
• We will discuss the great brainstorming ideas we all shared at the February meeting and have an opportunity to choose activities we want to support. 
• We will also find out our Precinct Numbers and learn why that’s important. Then we’ll find out who our newly elected Precinct and Ward Chairs are. WSD is helping them to get out the vote for school board elections this year and for the general election in 2024!
• We will have a trivia question -- and snacks – and time to network!

More info at: WestSideDems.org

Why Get Involved Now? How?

It takes a village to guarantee the survival of West Side Dems. We almost lost that feeling of community, and we almost lost the West Side Dems during the pandemic. But we were able to revive the sense of community and WSD last fall. That resurrection kept the West Side blue.

So WSD is back and very much alive.

We win elections! 

You can become part of this winning team. How?

Become a member ($10 a year) by clicking here — If you have been a member in the past but you have not paid your dues for 2023, you are not a current member.

Run for office – We will be electing WSD officers this month. Click here to declare your candidacy. We are electing WSD officers at the end of March. Declared candidates will candidacy for one of our 4 officer positions. You are eligible to run if you have been a member for 30 days. Deadline to declare candidacy is March 20, though self-nominations can be made at the March 27 meeting. Declared candidates will present at this meeting. 

Vote for your candidates of choice — Electronic voting begins March 30. You must be a member in good standing to receive an emailed ballot.

The midterm election showed us just how important it is to reach younger voters using the communication channels they use. We stepped up to the challenge!

We've created a TikTok channel and we'd love for you to join us there & give us a follow!

There are a couple of very fun videos featuring DPBC 1st Vice Chair Danny Leiva, and Young Dems member Danny Bernal Jr. for you to enjoy, and there's more to come! The images to the left are not clickable from here, so to see the fun content, you'll have to.....

Join In!

Democrats who want to see change and be change are participating throughout the County in making change. Join them! Join us! Subscribe to The Blue Review at the bernalillodems.org website at https://bernalillodems.org/newsletter-subscription. Send us your news too! We want to hear from you.

Contact us by noon on Mondays and Thursdays for the newsletter editions on Tuesdays and Fridays. Write to us directly at news@bernalillodems.org.  You can also reach us by clicking on the “Enter Your Event" link on the website at www.bernalillodems.org website or this link: https://bernalillodems.org/event-entry/Bernalillo Dems.

Public Event Entry – Bernalillo Dems Newsletter deadlines: content must be received by noon Monday or noon Thursday.