Legislative Tidbits — Jan. 28

Days remaining in session: 21

Facing blowback

Rep. Rick Little, R-Chaparral, drew fire for saying during a Tuesday committee hearing that he thinks homosexuality is a choice. On Wednesday, The New Mexican reported that Little, during a debate about a bill to add police as a protected class under New Mexico’s hate crimes law, argued that other classes currently protected under the statute were not based on inherent characteristics.

“We’ve got religion on there. There’s choices in religion. You can decide to be of any religion or not that you want,” Little said Tuesday. “So there’s a choice there. And you’ve got some other things on here that I think are choices that other people may not, as far as your sexual orientations, your gender identity. Those are I believe in a lot of cases decisions that people make.”

On Wednesday, Equality New Mexico published a meme mocking Little’s comments. He soon found himself in the glare of television lights, answering KRQE reporter Alex Goldsmith’s questions as a House Republican staffer attempted to pull Little away. Goldsmith pressed Little as to whether he thought homosexuality is a choice. Little eventually said, “Well, you know, I’m not sure that it is.” He previously said his comment had been taken out of context.

Crime bills

The state House continues to advance laws aimed at criminals. On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted 9-4 to approve House Bill 29, sponsored by House Majority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, and Democrat Rep. Carl Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, that would allow local governments to impose curfews on those 17 years old or younger.

The same committee voted 12-0 to give a positive report on House Bill 72, sponsored by Reps. Gentry and Paul Pacheco, R-Albuquerque. The bill — known as “Jaydon’s Law” in honor of an Albuquerque teen who was killed during an act of violence last year — is meant to ensure that judges have a complete view of a violent criminal’s prior record. Current law prohibits judges from considering the juvenile record of an adult offender during bond and sentencing decisions, the sponsors maintain.

Both bills go to the full House for a vote.

Tracking solar

The Solar Tax Development Bill, SB 13, was tabled in the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee on Wednesday. Lawmakers said more financial clarity is needed regarding the state budget picture before the bill can move forward. A House version is scheduled to be heard Thursday by the House Ways and Means Committee.

Renewable energy efforts got a vote of confidence from the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee meeting Wednesday when House Bill 175 for Renewable Energy Tax Credit Eligibility passed unanimously for the second time this session.

“This is how bills should be written,” said Rep. Gentry, who praised the legislation aimed at making tax credits available to more people and encouraging renewable-energy companies to do business in New Mexico.

“We are hoping the third time’s the charm,” Rep. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, said of the bill, which has twice failed to become law during previous sessions.

Anti-abortion proposal

Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, said Wednesday that he will introduce a bill that would ban late-term abortions.

“Killing a seven-pound baby in the womb for any reason until the day of birth is not healthcare, the majority of women, men and New Mexicans agree,” Sharer said in a news release. “It’s only a handful of extremists in the New Mexico Senate who want to keep abortion legal through all nine months of pregnancy.”

Last year a similar bill in the House sparked several lengthy and emotional debates in committees and the House floor. It passed the House but died in the Senate.

It’s not certain that any abortion bill will even be heard this year’s 30-day budget session.

Quote of the day

“If your only tool is a hammer, every problem is a nail.”

— New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Charles Daniels on why he supports a bill that would allow judges to release inmates who are not dangerous but have remained in jail for lack of bail money.

— The Santa Fe New Mexican