Republicans Walk Out of House Elections & Voters Committee to Halt Election Reform Bill: Time Getting Short

From Dory Shonagon:
NM House Bill HB1063, the Governor’s bill supporting V.V.P.B. and Audits, was second on the House Voters & Elections Committee agenda today. Just as Rep. Sandoval was getting ready to present it, with amendments that the Republicans in subcommittee worked on and agreed to, all five of them got up and walked out in protest. The Committee thus lost its quorum and all action had to be stopped.

It was clear that the Republicans simply did NOT want the bill to pass the committee. This last drastic action of delay did indeed delay the bill for at least another day. And of course we are running out of time as the Legislature ends on March 19.

After the Republican walkout, the Democrats on the Committee held a press conference in the Rotunda, where many of our people-citizens got to speak as well as the House Dems on the Committee. Television media was there, including Albuquerque's Channel 7, and it will most likely be on the news tonight or tomorrow, as well as in the morning papers.

On the Senate side, once Senate Judiciary Substitute Bill SB 678 is passed on the Senate floor, which looks likely for tomorrow, it will go to the House. It is likely to be referred to the Voters and Elections Committee, where things can be difficult with Rep. Madalena ill and with the normal 8-7 split in favor of the Democrats not there. Still there is a chance the bill could pass the House Elections committee, go to the House floor, pass there and finally go to the Governor for his signature. Of course the delaying tactics being employed by the Republicans make it more difficult.

What is working in our favor is that Governor Richardson seems to very much want a comprehensive election reform bill to emerge under his leadership -- if not in the regular session then perhaps in a special session later this Spring.

As things stand, Tuesday may well be our key day. If the Senate bill passes Monday on the Senate Floor, it would probably be heard in the House Elections Committee on Tuesday. If it passes there, we have a chance to have it voted upon on the House Floor Wednesday or Thursday.

We'll try to keep you posted as soon as we hear what's going on.