Jose Vasquez: NM Pro-Life Legislation Sent to “Kill Committee”

1
550
                                                             Wednesday, March 11, 2015

 

New Mexico State Legislature

2015

Dear Friends,

The New Mexico State Legislature has devised a number of tactics to avoid having to go on record in response to controversial issues.  The most mundane of these tactics is just “letting the clock run out.”  This is easily done, even in a 60 day session.  Bills are assigned to two committees in each chamber.  The agenda is the committee Chair’s responsibility, and scheduling can be postponed indefinitely.  The committee system is considered sacred by most because any short cut in the process could prove chaotic and the power of committees, especially the Chair, would be eroded.

In response to the committee system there is a rarely used way around the proceedings.  “Blasting” is moving a bill from a committee to the floor of the chamber for debate and a vote.  A second procedure is allowing the chamber to act as a “committee of the whole” in lieu of the assigned committee.  Both require a simple majority vote.

Senator Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) addressed the Senate and pointed out that pro-life legislation should be debated and that, subjected to the committee system, it has always failed.  He proposed and urged Senators to move pro-life legislation to the Senate floor for debate.  “Is the committee system more sacred than life?,” Senator Sharer asked.

The Senate refused – voting along party lines, 17 in favor, 25 against.

Senator Sharer then proposed moving the legislation away from the Senate Public Affairs Committee, known as the “kill committee,” to other committees.  The Senate refused.

Pro-life legislation is now scheduled for the Senate Public Affairs Committee.  With 10 days remaining in the 52nd session we can only pray for expediency.

Please pray for continued progress for HB 390 Late Term Abortion Ban and HB 391 Parental Notification and please pray for Senator Sharer.

New Mexico Watchman Jose Vasquez Jose Vasquez

 

 

 

“Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

Deuteronomy 30:19b

Click on the headline below for more from FGGAM and Pastor Dewey:

Is State Senator Michael Sanchez the Most Powerful Man in New Mexico?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.