NM Legislature '07: Equality NM Lobbying

From Equality New Mexico:
LEGISLATURE IN SESSION: The 2007 Legislative Session has officially begun!!! For the next 2 months, Equality New Mexico will be actively lobbying the legislature with a proactive agenda trying to expand the rights and protections New Mexico offers to its LGBT citizens. quality New Mexico is putting forward an aggressive agenda to procure new rights and benefits for LGBT families and to maintain the protections that already exist. 

Equality New Mexico will be pursuing the passage of four important pieces of legislation, all the while continuing our efforts to maintain New Mexico’s status as one of only four states that does not define marriage as solely between a man and a woman, by advocating for the defeat of any form of DOMA (Definition Of Marriage Act).

The four pieces of legislation that we will be advocating for are:

1) Domestic Partnership Legislation: this legislation would create a domestic partner registry allowing any two non-familial adults in an intimate relationship to form a domestic partnership.  This domestic partnership would provide the couple with all of the rights, protections and responsibilities available to married couples on the state level. 

This domestic partnership legislation is the center piece of our legislative agenda this year. EQNM will also be introducing marriage legislation (see below). We strongly believe that ALL New Mexicans deserve full equality under the law. However, we believe that domestic partner legislation has the best chance of passing this session. As the statewide LGBT advocacy organization, we are committed to obtaining the maximum rights and benefits for as many as possible, as soon as possible. While clearly domestic partnership does not give the LGBT community the equality we deserve, this legislation will provide many of the rights and protections so many of our families desperately need. 

2) Legislation to correct the disparity between state employees that are married and those that are domestically partnered: Currently, when a state employee retires, their domestic partner loses their insurance. This bill would allow domestic partners to maintain their insurance after their state employee partner retires.

3) Insurance Legislation: this bill would require that insurance companies offer domestic partner insurance benefits if an employer wants to offer them.

4) Civil Marriage Legislation:This legislation would amend the marriage license form to remove the gender specific language and would include a clear statement that the purpose of this legislation would be to allow same gender couples to enter into civil marriage.

Our agenda is aggressive, difficult, and also achievable, but we will need the help of the entire LGBT community and our allies. There are several things you can do to help:

• Sign up at our EQNM Action Center for regular e-blasts from EQNM to stay informed:
• Contact your legislators and ask them to support EQNM’s legislative agenda: https://eqfed.org/eqnm/leg-lookup/search.html
• Join EQNM at the Roundhouse on Lobby Day, March 5, 2007:
• Make a contribution to our lobbying efforts:

NEW EQUALITY NEW MEXICO WEBSITE LAUNCHED: Equality New Mexico has launched our new website!  The EQNM staff, board and volunteers have been working diligently to develop this new site to make it more user friendly.  With the launch of this new site, it will be easier for the community to get updates on what’s happening  at EQNM, in the legislature, and in the LGBT community in New Mexico and beyond. Please check it out at www.eqnm.org. This site will continue to be improved, but we would love your input. What do you want to see on the EQNM website?  What features will help you and the rest of the community?  Please let us know by e-mailing info@eqnm.org.

Special thanks go out to Board Member Michael Palmer and Administrative Manager Michelle Penson for taking on the bulk of this difficult task!

Please mark your calendars for these important upcoming events:

February 3, 2007:     Lobbying Training, sponsored by EQNM and Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance (Santa Fe, Location TBD)

February 11, 2007     Bubbly to Benefit Equality: Wine Tasting Fundraiser (Gruet Winery, Albuquerque)

March 5, 2007           EQNM LOBBY DAY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE:

April 28, 2007           2nd Annual Equality Ball (Sandia Resort and Casino)

August 8–11, 2007    Equality Federation Summer Meeting (Nativo Lodge, Albuquerque)