Lutheran Advocacy Ministry
New Mexico 
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In This Update
CORRECTED-Final Session Summary
Advocating Congregations recognized
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Advocacy Update


March 8, 2018
CORRECTED-Final Summary of 2018 legislation relating to the 
LAM-NM Advocacy Agenda
Our apologies for the previous version of this summary sent out earlier today 
which was incorrect.

 The governor has completed action on legislation
 that was passed by the legislature 
and  sent to her  desk. 

Affordable Housing & Homelessness:
SB73 (Sen. Howie Morales) requested $2.5 million for behavioral health supportive housing.  $100,000 for this program was not vetoed.

SB112 (Sen. Nancy Rodriguez) requested $5 million for the State Housing Trust Fund. 
$280,000 for the Trust Fund was VETOED.

Family-Sustaining Income:
HJR1  (Rep. Antonio Maestas & Rep. Javier Martinez) proposed a constitutional amendment which ask voters to authorize that an additional 1% of the income from the Land Grant Permanent Fund be used for quality early childhood education programs. 
HJR1 passed the House and the Senate Education Committee and was not allowed a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee

$25 million in additional funding for child care assistance is included in signed version of the state budget.

Health Care:
LAM-NM advocates that the state Medicaid program be fully funded.  $18 million, the amount projected by the Human Services Department to fully fund Medicaid is included in the signed version of the state budget.

HM9 (Rep. Debbie Armstrong) &
SM3 (Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino) ask for a study of the implementation of a Medicaid buy-in program so that uninsured New Mexicans can pay premiums to be covered by Medicaid.  HM9 has passed the House. SM3 has passed the Senate. 

HB107 (Rep. Miguel Garcia), SB190 (Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino) and SB223 (Sen. Bill Soules) requested $25 million for the DD Waiver which provides medical services to people with developmental disabilities. There is $5.4 million in additional funding in the signed version of the state budget.
   
Hunger: 
State SNAP Supplement program
serves about 13,000 seniors and people with disabilities with state funds that increases their minimum federal benefit to 
$25 per month.  About $400,000 was needed to fund this crucial program and that amount is included in the signed state budget.

HM55 (Rep. Debbie Armstrong) and
SM60 (Sen. Gay Kernan) ask the Legislative Education Study Committee and the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee to study ways to create and expand policies in school food programs that could allow unused or uneaten food to go to the benefit of hungry children.
HM55 passed the House and SM60 passed the Senate.

HM90 (Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes and Rep. Joanne Ferrary) requests the Legislative Council to create a "Hunger Council" made up of legislators, representatives from state agencies and local governments, and representatives from organizations that are working to end hunger and poverty to meet during the 2018 interim and draft a statewide plan for ending hunger.
HM90 passed the House.

$375,000 in new funding for the NM Food Bank Association's statewide food distribution program was included in the signed version of the state budget.

Tax Policy:
It is important that New Mexico have tax policy that is fair and provides stable, sustainable & adequate revenue to meet the needs of our state, particularly the most vulnerable.
 
Criminal Justice:
HB155  (Rep. Monica Youngblood) would have reinstated the death penalty in New Mexico. 
LAM-NM opposed HB155 which was tabled in the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee. 


 

Thank you for your advocacy actions! 
A summary of the LAM-NM 
2018 Advocacy Agenda can be found  here
 
Six congregations have been recognized as "Advocating Congregations!"
 
1st Presbyterian in Santa Fe was represented by Mary Ann Lundy & Judy Crawford

Paula Eglinton represented St. Paul Lutheran in Albuquerque













Leslie Wallstrom represented Bethlehem Lutheran 
in Los Alamos

Fr. Joe Britton & Ann Donahue represented St. Michael & Angels Episcopal Church in Albuquerque







Pr. Kristin Schultz, Jerry Ferdig & Judy Messal represented All Saints Lutheran in Albuquerque



David Follstaedt & Charlee Galbreath represented 
St. Luke Lutheran in Albuquerque




Your congregation can become a
 LAM-NM  "Advocating Congregation"  
Click here for more information.

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Advocating for justice in public policy, 
with a particular emphasis on alleviating poverty and hunger