Equality NM Legislative Update

The 60-day, 2005, New Mexico State Legislative Session began at noon on January 18th and ends on March the 19th. Equality New Mexico will track Domestic Partner and HIV/AIDS legislation. To find your bills and where they are in the legislative process, proceed to https://legis.state.nm.us.

Thus far only one bill has dropped, it is House Bill 86 (H 86). H 86 is a "Domestic Partner Bill" and is sponsored by House Representative Mimi Stewart. This bill requires that insurance companies offer domestic partner benefits to any New Mexican employer who requests the benefits. Currently, most large employers usually do not have trouble with domestic partner benefits but smaller employers with fewer employees often are told that the insurance company does not provide that benefit. This bill passed the House 2 years ago but died in the Senate due to lack of time. You can track this bill  here.

No legislation for HIV/AIDS has been dropped. No Defense of Marriage Acts or DOMAs have been introduced.

A bill sponsored by Senator John Grubesic will be introduced for New Mexico State employees who have retired. In 2003, Governor Bill Richardson signed an executive order creating domestic partnerships for New Mexico State employees, regardless of sexual orientation. The New Mexico State insurance companies are denying benefits to partners of retired state employees. This bill will clarify that domestic partnership benefits apply to retirement.

A domestic partnership bill will be introduced by Senator Cisco McSorley. It will be a comprehensive, statewide, domestic partnership, benefits bill for unmarried couples regardless of sexual orientation. This bill will offer many of the rights, benefits, and protections that legally recognized families enjoy today.

Gregg Ferran, Executive Director
Equality New Mexico

Editor's Note: If you'd like to urge your legislator to support these bills or any others, go to https://legis.state.nm.us, as noted above. This site includes links for finding your legislator and their contact information, the legislative leadership, a bill finder, watcher and locator, legislative reports, committee membership, agendas, calendars and more.