| Legislative Update from NM Rep. John Block: My friend, It has been yet another crazy week at the Roundhouse. Here is the latest from what I have been up to: On Monday, in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee (HGEIC), I voted NO on H.J.R. 2, which would have expanded legislative sessions by 30 days on even years. I voted NO on H.J.R. 8, which would have created a commission to give legislators a salary. Being ranked 50th in everything good and first in everything bad does not call for any politician to get a raise. Currently, legislators make per diem and a pension after ten years of service. Tuesday, on the House floor, the chamber celebrated “Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Day” (AAPINH) with a memorial. Interesting fact: Otero County has the fifth-highest AAPINH population in the state. In House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee (HCPAC), Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and I ripped Democrat anti-gun bills to shreds, although Democrats passed them anyway on party-line votes. H.B. 100, forcing a 14-day waiting period for a gun purchase, passed 4-2, while the sponsor, Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), rejected an amendment I offered exempting domestic violence survivors who had a valid domestic violence protection order. Another of Romero’s bills, H.B. 101, to ban so-called “assault” (high-capacity) weapons, also passed along a party-line 4-2 vote, with the sponsor claiming “no right is absolute.” The bill would also create a list of all people who currently own “assault rifles” of over ten rounds and “assault pistols” of over 15 rounds.Watch me, and Rep. Lord question the sponsor and fight for our Second Amendment rights by streaming the hearinghere. Both of these anti-gun bills now go to the House Judiciary Committee. Also, in the same committee, my sponsored bill, H.B. 164, which was co-sponsored by Reps. Lord, Tayna Mirabal Moya (R-Los Lunas), Jimmy Mason (R-Artesia), and Mark Duncan (R-Farmington) was quickly tabled on a 4-2 vote. On Wednesday, I voted against H.B. 4, which would weaken New Mexico elections, after asking many questions about how the bill would erode our electoral system. The bill would create an automatic voter registration list at the MVD, create an automatic absentee voter list, and mandate drop boxes across the state, among other bad things. It passed along party lines and now goes to House Judiciary Committee for consideration. Democrats passed a House memorial, H.M. 38, that would have honored the far-left group “Equality New Mexico,” which pushes for transgenderism and the teaching of “equity” studies in schools. I joined 13 of my colleagues in voting against it. The House then passed a bipartisan memorial, H.M. 32, sponsored by Rep. Randy Pettigrew (R-Lovington), bringing awareness to the $31.4 trillion national debt. It passed 43-9. I arguedon the House floor against Rep. Liz Thomson’s (D-Bernalillo) bill, H.B. 34, to install “affirmative consent” mandates in schools, which was vague and that could leave children vulnerable to thematic elements in schools. I had to step off the floor for the vote for an important meeting about fighting anti-gun bills, so I was not present during the vote. I did, however, advocate for our children during debate. I also joined Brandon Vogt on KKOB radio to talk about the Dems’ attacks on the Second Amendment. Listen here: I was also pleased to speak in the Rotunda in honor of Disability Rights Awareness Day on Wednesday to bring attention to the needs of disabled people in our communities.This week, there was a shocking video released appearing to show our Alamogordo Public Schools superintendent trashing citizens who reject Critical Race Theory. Watch the video here. See my statement on it here On Thursday, Democrats rammed through the extremist H.B. 9 anti-gun bill that would force New Mexicans to lock up their guns or else they become felons if a minor gets ahold of it. I signed up to debate the bill, but far-left Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo) ran out the three-hour clock babbling on about unhinged incoherencies, which deprived myself and other members of debating the merits of the legislation. It narrowly passed the House 37-32, with seven Democrats voting with all Republicans against it. On Friday in HGEIC, the committee unanimously passed H.B. 192 and 193 by Reps. Cathrynn Brown (R-Carlsbad) and Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) to exempt Social Security taxes in the state of New Mexico. On Saturday in HCPAC, Democrats tabled along party lines a commonsense bill, H.B. 225, by Rep. Ambrose Castellano (D-Ribera), which would have given officers EQUAL protections from violent crime under the Crime Victims Reparation Commission. Democrats on the committee made arguments claiming police have a “special relationship” with the public and a “sense of privilege” and shouldn’t be covered. Now, if police exhaust their coverage through the state if they are injured in the line of duty by an assailant, they would have to resort to starting a GoFundMe to cover the rest of the costs. SOME GOOD NEWS: Also on Saturday in HGEIC, a bill, H.B. 217, to let 16 and 17-year-olds vote in elections was tabled on a 4-4 tie vote, with Chairwoman D. Wonda Johnson (D-Church Rock) joining me and all the Republicans on the committee to vote against it.Democrats also passed a bill, H.B. 207, to amend the Human Rights Act to muddy the waters on what “gender” and “gender identity” is. It could also open up schools to liability regarding children and gender. I joined my fellow Republican colleagues in voting against it. I co-sponsored four pieces of legislation this week: H.B. 386: Co-sponsor of the bill by Rep. Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) t0 ban the term LatinX from state schools.H.J.R. 13: A resolution from Rep. Pettigrew to have New Mexico join the Convention of States H.B. 340: A bill by Rep. Castellano to end New Mexico’s ban on mini alcohol bottles.H.B. 363: A bill by Rep. Mark Duncan (R-Farmington) t0 create a Smokey Bear state license plate. I am giving my all each and every day to represent the 51st House District and protect your rights. I will never back down. This opportunity to be your legislator is the honor of my life. Thank you for being with me in the fight to protect New Mexico. God bless you and your family, Rep. John Block NM House District 51Republican, Otero County |
