Legislative Update from NM Rep. John Block: 

My friend,

We have had another busy week at the Legislature! Note: This email is pretty long, but very detailed with information to stay informed about the legislative process.

On Monday, in House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee (HCPAC), I voted AGAINST H.B. 95 to expand the Green New Deal in the State Land Office.

I then voted FOR H.J.R. 1 to create a TRULY Independent Redistricting Commission, but I told the bipartisan sponsors they needed to make more changes before I could support their final bill on the House floor.

On the floor Monday, I honored my friend, past-Republican Whip Jason Harper (Rio Rancho), for his years of service thus far to our House. I also welcomed many Alamogordo residents and valued Otero County officials to the House:

In HCPAC Tuesday, Democrats killed five bills from Rep. Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque) on party-line votes that would have protected our communities from violent criminals.

Commonsense bills to charge fentanyl dealers, detain shoplifters and prosecute illegal gun traffickers were all tabled 4-2, with Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and myself being the only votes supporting these measures.

During testimony on the anti-fentanyl bill, leftist Kim Chavez-Cook, who represents the Office of the Public Defender and the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said this: “The presence of a firearm is often necessary for the folks to protect themselves because it’s an inherently dangerous environment to be involved in a drug transaction.”

Also, on Tuesday, KRQE 13 News interviewed me about the bill I’m carrying, H.B. 164, to create Constitutional Carry in New Mexico.

Watch the interview here: 

I introduced two new pieces of legislation this week:

• H.B. 285: The New Mexico Heartbeat Act to protect children in the womb from the time a fetal heartbeat is detected.
• H.M. 20: Supporting the construction of a border wall on the remaining 51.3 open miles of border with Mexico while decrying the humanitarian crisis caused at the border.

KOAT 7 interviewed me about H.M. 20 this week. Watch here:

On Friday, I voted in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee (HGEIC) FOR H.B. 161 by Rep. D. Wonda Johnson (D-Rehoboth) to revamp and fund the Intertribal Ceremonial Office. I voted AGAINST H.B. 118, expanding the Green New Deal with the passage of the “Economic Transition Act.”

We then heard testimony in HGEIC on H.B. 4, which weakens New Mexico election laws and leaves our elections more susceptible to fraud. The committee will discuss and vote on the bill on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. On the House floor, we celebrated New Mexico Indian Day!

Today (Saturday, Feb. 4) in HCPAC, my bill, H.B. 109, to overturn 2021’s “Civil Rights Act” that stripped qualified immunity for law enforcement and local governments, died on a 4-2 party-line vote. Another similar bill, H.B. 203 by Rep. Alan Martinez (R-Bernalillo), also died on a party-line 4-2 vote.

ACTION ALERT

On Monday, in House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, my Constitutional Carry bill, which is co-sponsored by Reps. Lord, Tayna Mirabal Moya (R-Los Lunas), Jimmy Mason (R-Artesia), and Mark Duncan (R-Farmington) will be heard at 1:30 p.m. Please show up to support this bill.

Also in that same committee, radical anti-Second Amendment bills H.B. 50   (banning magazines over nine rounds) by Rep. Patricia Roybal-Caballero (D-Albuquerque), and H.B. 100/101 by Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) to ban high-capacity firearms and install a 14-day waiting period for buying guns, will be heard as well. Please show up to testify Monday via the below Zoom meeting information:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89037370054 Or One tap mobile : US: +13462487799,,89037370054# or +16694449171,,89037370054# Webinar ID: 890 3737 0054 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdAYD2zIM2

Thank you for the remarkable opportunity to serve as your state representative. It is the honor of my life, and I will continue to fight to protect your Constitutional rights — always.

God bless you and your family,

Rep. John Block
NM House District 51

Republican, Otero County