Commentary: What should we expect – or want – from the 2019 state legislative session?
It's an interesting year: there's more money than usual, and both our governor and legislative majorities are Democratic.
More money means we can do some things we need to; but more money could tempt us to make promises we might not be able to keep. Reason and restraint are essential.
The source of the extra funds brings to the fore a key dilemma: our financial health depends on an oil-and-gas industry that (a) is inherently mercurial and (b) will and should decline as we try to save what we can of our environment. Our legislators should recognize this in evaluating energy and environmental matters. We must act to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, but try to prepare realistically for how that could affect our state. We must diversify our income sources, and build cleaner ones, such as renewable energy and outdoor activities. Given our sunlight, developing solar energy could be an important opportunity for our state, not merely practical.
Party power means party responsibility. With power and adequate funding, we can do what's right – if we can figure out what's right. “We tried, but she vetoed it,” won't be an excuse this year.
That said, what should we hope to see – and plan to keep an eye on and advocate?
Timely bills regarding water planning and administration, but those deserve their own column, and more. Without water, we aren't here.
Legislatively and administratively, we need to turn around education – including early-childhood, and focus particularly on the under-served kids addressed in the Yazzie/Martinez decision. And while the outgoing administration provided examples of what doesn't work, I've seen no clear blueprint of what will work.
The Health Security Act. A ban on coyote-killing contests. Ending the marijuana prohibition, increasing both fairness and profit.
The Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Act. If you're mentally competent and terminally ill, you should be free to leave the party when you choose, with a doctor's help. What decision could be more personal -- with less reason for government interference?
Decriminalization of abortion. This too is a deeply personal decision. (We men can't imagine how it feels to carry and give birth to an unwanted baby.) That some religions forbid it means that some adherents to those religions will decline to have abortions. There's a recognized constitutional right to choose; thus the law is ineffective clutter. If ever the Supreme Court withdraws federal protection of that right, New Mexico should start from a clean slate and decide in today's world what to do – not be hamstrung by an old law.
Adding teeth to the law requiring background checks for gun-buyers.
Sensible environmental regulations. The Trump Administration is bent on letting every business poison our environment if a buck can be made that way. Governor Martinez was owned by oil-and-gas, and her eight years weakened some important regulations. Legislatively and administratively, we must repair what damage we can, and correct what we must, even if keeping an oil company from poisoning neighbors' water wells could slightly reduce the company's handsome profits.
Meanwhile, escalating hyper-partisanship is a threat to our democracy, one Trump has fed but did not start. I hope our Democratic friends in Santa Fe treat our Republican friends with the courtesy and civility Democrats would have liked to enjoy during the past four years.