The good, bad, and ugly of New Mexico’s 2020 Legislature
Ugly: Important bills or concepts that were not seriously considered:
- No GRT reform or tax cuts were seriously considered despite New Mexico being in a time of massive budget surpluses
- Specifically, the Social Security tax cuts failed
- HB 325: Removing licensing obstacles for those convicted of crimes
Bad: The Worst Bills that Passed
SB 5: Red Flag bill
HB 364: Government Union Giveaway (or anti-Janus effort)
The convoluted and hyper-partisan means of passing this bill is inherently problematic;
- Institutes “card check” for union elections
- Pushes labor boards to be favorable to union interests by ensuring only they survive. Also, this process is a one-way ratchet toward centralization.
- The bill also denies to public employees the right to pursue legal action regarding “fair share” dues collected prior to the Court’s Janus decision.
- The bill compromises the privacy rights of public employees. It requires employers to provide names, job titles, work locations, home addresses, personal email addresses, and home or cellular telephone numbers of public employees in the proposed bargaining unit.
- The bill requires employers to allow public employee unions to conduct union work during work hours, use public employer email accounts for conducting union business, and use public facilities for meetings without compensation for that use.
- Creates threat of perpetual bargaining will create uncertainty in labor relations.
SB 98: Public Project Prevailing Wage Complaints The bill authorizes any person to file a complaint that a contractor, subcontractor, employer or person acting as a contractor on the project has failed to pay wages or fringe benefits at the rates required by the Act.
Overspending (7.6% growth) in state budget at a time when inflation is growing at 1.76% and population growth is nearly flat.
The Gov. was denied “free college,” but $17 million was spent to create the opportunity scholarship program and an additional $10 million was added to the Lottery Scholarship program. The program will prioritize financial aid based on need to undergraduate, credential-seeking students who are enrolled in a two-year academic program.”
HB 83: Creation of Early Childhood Permanent fund
Best things to happen in 2020 Session
SB 72: pension reform
SB 96: putting education data online
Best things to NOT happen in 2020 session
Complete “free” college was denied
HJR 1 permanent fund tap was denied
HB 217 Electric vehicle tax credit was killed at last second
If you want to see how your legislators voted on these and other big issues in the 2020 session, click the Freedom Index logo below:
