(Updated) ALERT: Health Security Act Hearings in Both Senate and House

From the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign:
We have a busy week ahead of us! The Health Security Act will be heard in committee in both the Senate and the House this week, after some delays this past weekend.

House Bill 1222 Scheduled for Thursday!
House Bill 1222 (the House bill for the Health Security Act) is scheduled to be heard in the House Health and Government Affairs Committee this Thursday, March 1. The committee will meet at 8:00 AM in Room 309 at the State Capitol. Please come if you can!

CANCELLED: Senate Bill 720 Scheduled for Wednesday!
Sente Bill 720 (the Senate bill for the Health Security Act) is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee this Wednesday, February 28.

We need a large turnout at this hearing! We know it's hard to fit a trip to the Capitol into a busy schedule, especially when the Senate is late getting off the floor and delays the committees. However, a big show of support is absolutely vital. So if there's any way you can, please make plans to come to Wednesday's hearing on the Health Security Act.

The Senate Finance Committee meets in Room 322 at the State Capitol. The committee will meet Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 PM or half an hour after the floor session ends. Because the floor session often runs late, please don't hesitate to call the Senate Finance Committee secretary at 986-4365 to find out if the Senate is still on the floor and when the committee will start meeting.

Keep Up the Calls to Finance Committee Senators!

Senate Finance Committee Members

• Sen. Timothy Z. Jennings, Co-Chair (D) – Senate District 32 (Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, and Otero counties): 986-4362
• Sen. John Arthur Smith, Co-Chair (D) – Senate District 35 (Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra counties): 986-4363
• Sen. Carlos R. Cisneros, Vice Chair (D) – Senate District 6 (Taos): 986-4863
• Sen. Joseph J. Carraro (R) – Senate District 23 (Bernalillo and Sandoval counties): 986-4387
• Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R) – Senate District 19 (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Santa Fe counties): 986-4395
• Sen. Pete Campos (D) – Senate District 8 (Guadalupe, Mora, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Torrance counties): 986-4311
• Sen. Carroll H. Leavell (R) – Senate District 41 (Eddy and Lea counties): 986-4278
• Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson (R) – Senate District 37 (Doña Ana and Sierra counties): 986-4703
• Sen. Nancy Rodriguez (D) – Senate District 24 (Santa Fe): 986-4264
• Sen. Bernadette Sanchez (D) – Senate District 26 (Albuquerque): 986-4267

Now Is the Time to Call Health and Government Affairs Representatives!

We have until Thursday morning to influence House Health and Government Affairs Committee members. Keep the calls coming!

House Health and Government Affairs Committee Members

• Rep. Mimi Stewart, Chair (D) – House District 21 (Albuquerque): 986-4840
• Rep. Nick L. Salazar, Vice Chair (D) – House District 40 (Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Taos counties): 986-4433
• Rep. Paul C. Bandy (R) – House District 3 (San Juan County): 986-4214
• Rep. Justine Fox-Young (R) – House District 30 (Albuquerque): 986-4450
• Rep. John A. Heaton (D) – House District 55 (Eddy County): 986-4432
• Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D) – House District 37 (Doña Ana County): 986-4248
• Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela (D) – House District 48 (Santa Fe): 986-4318
• Rep. Jeannette O. Wallace (R) – House District 43 (Los Alamos, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties): 986-4452

Calls to the Governor
Some of you have been asking for the governor's telephone number. Governor Richardson can be reached at 827-3000, and it's not too late to call him and urge him to support the Health Security Act!

If you have any questions, contact Josette at 771-8763 or jhaddad@cableone.net.

To Find Your Legislator

• Go to the legislature’s website: www.legis.state.nm.us
• Click on “Find Your Legislator”
• Choose “Senate” or "House" and click on “Search by Name, District or Zip Code”
• Enter your zip code (in some areas—like Albuquerque—you may need to input the extra four digits after your zip code)
• You can also call your county clerk.

If your representative is on the Health and Government Affairs Committee (see list above), please call and ask him or her to support House Bill 1222, the Health Security Act.

If you have relatives or friends in any of these representatives’ districts, please ask them to call their representative to urge him or her to support House Bill 1222, the Health Security Act.
These phone calls are key to passage of House Bill 1222! Thank you for calling!

If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to call your senator if he or she is on the Senate Finance Committee (see list above). Identify yourself as a constituent and ask your senator to support Senate Bill 720, the Health Security Act.

If you know people in any of these senators’ districts, please ask them to call their senator to urge him or her to support Senate Bill 720, the Health Security Act.

Constituents' phone calls really do influence our senators. Please call and encourage others to call today! Thank you for all the calls that have already been made!