HB603: Domestic Partner Rights And Responsibilities Act Passes Full Vote of House

From Equality New Mexico:
In what can only be described as the fastest vote in the West, HB 603, the Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act passed a full vote of the House by a vote of 33-24.

Many of us gathered to fill the gallery and await the hearing of the Bill. HB 603 was number 25 on the agenda, so we settled in for a long day and an even longer hearing. The hearing began, and was over in less than 2 minutes. Rep. Mimi Stewart (right), who sponsored the bill for us, stepped up to the microphone and introduced the Bill. No one in the room hit their button to speak, and the Speaker closed the debate. Rep. Stewart closed and asked that the House “Do Now Pass.” The vote began.  Before we knew it, the 30 second timer began counting down and the voting started. It was chaos on the floor as the vote was called and many of the legislators who had stepped out of the room scrambled to cast their votes. The last 5 seconds on the timer seemed to pass very slowly as the votes came pouring in. In the end, the vote was 33-24 in favor, which included a few “yes” votes from some surprising allies.

Take a look at the list of “yes” votes below and please give them a call to thank them for their vote. (Click on their names to get contact information.)

A special thank you should go out to Representative Mimi Stewart for all of her hard work. We could not have asked for a better sponsor.

• Rep. Elias Barela (D-Valencia)
• Rep. Jose Campos (D-Curry, DeBaca, Guadalupe & Roosevelt)
• Rep. Joseph Cervantes (D-Dona Ana)
• Rep. Gail Chasey (D-Bernalillio)
• Rep. Ernest Chavez (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Nathan Cote (D-Dona Ana & Otero)
• Rep. Justine Fox-Young (R-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Mary Helen Garcia (D-Dona Ana)
• Rep. Thomas Garcia (D-Colfax, Guadalupe, Mora, San Miguel & Taos)
• Rep. Roberto Gonzales (D-Taos)
• Rep. Joni Gutierrez (D-Dona Ana)
• Rep. George Hanosh (D-Cibola & McKinley)
• Rep. Irvin Harrison (D-McKinley & San Juan)
• Rep. Dona Irwin (D-Luna)
• Rep. Ben Lujan (D-Santa Fe)
• Rep. Antonio Maestas (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Kathy McCoy (R-Bernalillo, Sandoval & Santa Fe)
• Rep. Rick Miera (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Al Park (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Danice Picraux (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Henry Saavedra (D-Bernalillo & Valencia)
• Rep. Edward Sandoval (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Dan Silva (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Dona Ana)
• Rep. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo)
• Rep. Thomas Swisstack (D-Sandoval)
• Rep. Jim Trujillo (D-Santa Fe)
• Rep. Lucky Varela (D-Santa Fe)
• Rep. Richard Vigil (D-San Miguel & Torrance)
• Rep. Jeannette Wallace (R-Los Alamos, Sandoval & Santa Fe)
• Rep. W.C. Williams (R-Lincoln & Otero)
• Rep. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

HB603 was introduced in the Senate late yesterday afternoon and has been assigned to Senate Public Affairs Commitee and Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Passing this legislation through the Senate will be an uphill battle, and we will need all of your help.  Keep participating in our online campaigns (our last targeted campaign generated over 12,000 letters to the legislators), tell your friends and neighbors, and keep calling and visiting your legislators to educate them on these issues. EQNM will issue notification as soon as further hearings are scheduled.