Good and Bad News on Equal Rights for All Citizens

From Equality New Mexico:

Senate Bill 576 (Domestic Partner Benefits) passed the Senate Public Affairs Committee Tuesday afternoon on a party line vote, 5-4. Please thank Senators Feldman, Garcia, Ortiz y Pino, Papen, and Taylor for their votes.

• Senator Dede Feldman, dede.feldman@nmlegis.gov
• Senator Mary Jane Garcia, maryjane.garcia@nmlegis.gov, 505 / 986-4726
• Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, jortizyp@aol.com
• Senator Mary Kay Papen, 505 / 986-4270
• Senator James Taylor, amesg.taylor@nmlegis.gov  505 / 986-4862

Unfortunately, Senate Bill 597 (the "simple" DOMA) also passed and by a wider margin, 6-2. Only Senators Feldman and Ortiz y Pino voted against the bill. This vote crossed party lines, with Democratic Senators Papen and Taylor joining Republican Senators Ingle, Kern, Komadina, and Neville to vote for the bill.

Next hearing on both bills will be in the Senate Judiciary Committee, probably early next week. We'll keep you posted.
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Editor's Note: The two Democratic Senators who voted FOR the Domestic Partnership bill but also FOR the DOMA are:

• Senator Mary Kay Papen (D-Las Cruces), 505 / 986-4270
• Senator James Taylor (D-Bernalillo & Valencia), amesg.taylor@nmlegis.gov  505 / 986-4862