Commentary: The League of Women Voters is deeply disappointed that the New Mexico Senate voted against HB 51, which would have repealed the outdated law making abortion a crime. New Mexico women deserve to know that a full range of healthcare will remain available to them even if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The League believes that in a pluralistic society such as ours the individual's right to make reproductive choices, including abortion, must be affirmed.
"This should have been a no-brainer for legislators. It means now New Mexico's women have lost a very important guarantee that they, their doctors and families can make their own choices about reproductive rights," said NM League of Women Voters President Judith Williams. "A vote against this bill is a vote against women's rights."
Voting against the bill in the Senate were all Republicans and Democratic Sens. Pete Campos of Las Vegas, Carlos Cisneros of Questa, Richard Martinez of Española, George Muñoz of Gallup, Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen of Las Cruces, Gabriel Ramos of Silver City, Clemente "Meme" Sanchez of Grants and John Arthur Smith of Deming.