I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Among the hundreds of bills introduced so far in the state House and Senate are four from Republicans hoping to restrict marriage in New Mexico, including three separate pieces of legislation that seek to define marriage as between “one man and one woman.”
Rep. David Chavez, R-Los Lunas, has introduced two bills related to marriage. House Joint Resolution 8 proposes a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman as well as bans New Mexico from recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages. The other bill, House Bill 162, would just stop New Mexico from recognizing same-sex marriages from out of state.
This comes after Attorney General Gary King issued an opinion in which he said New Mexico can recognize same-sex marriages that are performed outside of New Mexico.
Rep. Nora Espinoza, R-Roswell, once again introduced a piece of legislation, House Joint Resolution 7, that calls for a constitutional amendment to restrict marriage to couples made up of “one man and one woman.” She has introduced this legislation each year since 2007, with little success.
The fourth piece of legislation is Senate Joint Resolution 4, from Sen. William Sharer, and would also define marriage as between one man and one woman. Sharer has introduced this legislation the past two sessions; last year it died on a 5-2 vote in the Senate Rules Committee.
While gay marriage advocates have been pushing for a domestic partnership bill in the state, the change of governor has put them on the defensive. Former Gov. Bill Richardson advocated for domestic partnerships and the legislation reached the floor of the Senate several times only to fail in votes.
So far no domestic partnership bill has been introduced. Gov. Susana Martinez opposes domestic partnership as well as gay marriage.
