Republican males took more than an hour and a half on the second-to-final day of the 60-day New Mexico legislative session in an work to block or modify protective reproductive overall health care legislation. 

Rep. Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) took component in a 110-minute debate, which at some point failed to amend Senate Bill 13, in an work to stall protections for reproductive overall health solutions in the state.

The bill was passed by a 38-30 vote and will now go to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is anticipated to sign it into law. All Republicans along with six Democrats voted against the measure.

SB 13 would safeguard healthcare providers and individuals receiving reproductive or gender-affirming overall health care.

Democrats against SB 13

The six Democratic representatives who voted against the provider and patient protections are Reps. Anthony Allison (Fruitland), Ambrose Castellano (Serrafina), Harry Garcia (Grants), Wonda Johnson (Rehoboth), Patricia Lundstrom (Gallup) and Joseph Sanchez (Alcalde).

Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) explained the bill to the Property of Representatives on Friday. 

Below this bill, providers and individuals would be protected from extradition and civil or criminal prosecution. Their overall health care information and facts would also be protected.

“The point of this is to assure that all parties involved do not have to danger any sort of worry of lawsuit, of criminalized activity,” Romero mentioned. “That they’re protected.”

She mentioned this bill is coming forward following other states have place forth strict anti-abortion laws. Folks have been fleeing to New Mexico for reproductive overall health care given that Texas enacted extreme bans on abortion care that have an effect on individuals, providers and any one who assists them.

Romero mentioned there are also hundreds of anti-trans pieces of legislation that have been introduced in other states. Nine bills have currently been signed into law. Romero mentioned New Mexico can move in the opposite path with this bill.

“In New Mexico, we have the chance now to definitely affirmatively care for our citizens, affirmatively care for these people that are searching for overall health care, searching for to be themselves,” she mentioned.

Related to other legislative debates on bills that involve abortion care, Republicans talked at length about how they do not assistance the bill or particulars in it. GOP male lawmakers took up a lot of allocated time speaking against the bill.

Montoya, the Republican from Farmington, ignited a extended debate. Several female lawmakers on the other side of the aisle repeatedly rose up to speak against his points, occasionally calling them offensive.

New Mexico poised to strengthen state Human Rights Act

Democrats handle the Property by a substantial majority, providing the bill substantial assistance to pass.

Montoya along with other Republicans asked various concerns about the legality of the bill. 

Romero repeated that this proposed law would only apply in New Mexico and to these engaging in activities in the state. Since New Mexico is a sovereign state, she mentioned, it can have its personal laws that preside more than its personal territory.

“Any protected activity taking place right here that is legal is not a crime,” she mentioned. “It’s not a crime. It is not illegal. And as a result we are affirmatively safeguarding that against other states from coming following people today in our state who are protected by our laws.”

At a single point, following Montoya controlled the discussion for half an hour, Property Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) asked Montoya if he would move his initially proposed amendment. 

Montoya mentioned no, he wanted to retain discussing the proposal just before going to that amendment that would take even a lot more discussion. 

“I want to continue my line of questioning,” Montoya mentioned.

Just after introducing the amendment and debating it with other lawmakers for half an hour, Montoya withdrew it just to introduce a equivalent a single with some language modifications. The debate for that went on for a different 40 minutes.

Whilst Montoya continued to speak, a lot more than a hundred other bills sat on the Property schedule on Friday, waiting to be heard just before the session ended at noon on Saturday. 

As his debate pretty much rolled previous the two-hour mark, legislation that would safeguard the atmosphere, enhance mental overall health sources or assistance Native American communities sat unheard.

Just after the complete debate stretched previous the 3-hour mark, lawmakers voted not to let it go on any additional. They also voted to table Montoya’s amendment that would strike components of the bill relating to the protection of information and facts associated to overall health care solutions.

Montoya continued to fight for a opportunity to speak, going back and forth with Martinez on his appropriate to address the physique following his amendment was tabled. Martinez repeatedly denied his request given that the debate had ended.

“We’ve taken a lot more than 3 hours on this single bill and possibly a very good 45 minutes on the amendment,” Martinez mentioned.

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