If you have always been interested in learning how to lobby for the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, you have a great opportunity coming your way on Thursday, November 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Cherry Hills Library (6901 Barstow St. NE)
Dick Mason, the Advocacy Chair for the league will discuss our priorities for the 2019 session of the New Mexico State Legislature. He will also explain how you can become involved in speaking for the league at committee hearings on specific issues and how the league chooses which issues to prioritize. This is an interesting opportunity to work on the front lines of league advocacy. This year the league has five major priorities.
- Tax Reform & Funding – Tax reform and funding proposals will be a major focus of this legislative session. Most of the funding proposals now being discussed are ones the league has supported in the past.
- Voter Registration Changes – The league supports automatic voter registration, same day voter registration and extending the voter registration period.
- Legislative Ethics Commission – Voters determined that the state constitution should be altered to allow the establishment of a legislative ethics commission. The league will closely follow this issue and advocate making the commission membership as fair and equitable as possible
- Redistricting – The league supports the Iowa model for redistricting. As the legislature prepares for redistricting after the 2020 census, the legislature needs to determine how that process will take place.
- Woman’s Right to Choose – Current New Mexico law makes obtaining an abortion a criminal offense. That law is not enforced because a federal court case Roe v. Wade overrides the state law, but the philosophical makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court has changed since that ruling, giving new urgency to changing New Mexico law.
This workshop will familiarize you with our positions on these issues and you will have an opportunity to see league advocacy in action and meet with other members who share your interest in the issues.