LWVNM Action Committee 2007 Legislative Session

LWVNM advocacy is coordinated by the Action Committee, co-chaired by Dick Mason and Barbara Calef. All League members are invited to participate in the Action Committee, whether or not they wish to become registered League lobbyists. The Action Committee meets by phone on Fridays at noon during the legislative session, and monthly throughout the year. To join this conference call from your city, please get in touch with the president of your local League.

You can also receive Action Alerts by joining the LWVNMTopics listserv.

The League will be following legislative initiatives in a number of areas this year. Emphasis may vary depending on what legislation is actually introduced.

2007 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

(+ indicates active support for a bill; - indicates opposition):


Election Reform flyer:
+ SB318	Post-election voting system evaluation
- HB251	Voter ID in excess of HAVA requirements

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Ethics and Campaign Financing Reform flyer:
+SB437 HB309	State Ethics Comission Act. These two bills reflect discussion in the 2007 session, while SB376 has not been similarly updated. HB344 does not include preparation of ethics guides or training among the duties of the commission.

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Health Care flyer
+ SB3 / HB214	Health Security Act


Education flyer

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Natural Resources flyer
+ HB85	Regional water planning appropriation

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Drug Policy flyer
+ HB144	Drug Courts


Other Bills of Interest:
+ HB244	Freedom of Choice Act

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GUIDE TO THE LEGISLATIVE WEB SITE

Download legislative agendas for the committees and floors of both houses. These usually cover meetings coming up in the next two days, although some committees report their agendas farther in advance than that.

Bill Finder, search by bill number, sponsor, key words, subject, or status. This information will let you know to what committee the bill has currently been assigned. You can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts whenever the status of a particular piece of legislation changes, that is, after some action has been taken by a committee or on the floor (Bill Watcher).

However, the Bill Watcher does not alert you when something is placed on a committee or floor agenda.20 For that you need to download legislative agendas regularly.

Committee membership lists. Click on member's name for contact information.

Find out what committees your legislator is on.

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BECOME A LEAGUE LOBBYIST

At the state level the League lobbies primarily on the basis of its state positions, which reflect the interests of the New Mexico Leagues, supplemented occasionally by national positions. We may not lobby the state legislature using local League positions that have not been adopted by LWVNM.

These rules apply, of course, only to individuals lobbying in the name of the League of Women Voters. In order to become a registered League lobbyist, a League member must register with the Secretary of State's office. Registration is free, as the League does not pay its members to lobby, but the registrant must file an authorization form signed by the president of the LWVNM together with his or her application in order to become a League lobbyist. The required forms can be downloaded from the Secretary of State's= web site. You will need the lobbyist registration form and the lobbyist authorization form.

An individual representing only himself or herself when speaking with a legislator or other state official or employee is not a lobbyist under the terms of the law and does not need to register. Individuals can be very effective without representing a group. League members who visit their legislators on League Day should speak only as individuals unless they are registered as League lobbyists.

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