Legislature roundup — Feb. 27

Days remaining in session: 22

Daylight saving time: If a bill that passed a Senate committee Thursday becomes law, March 8 will be the last time New Mexicans would have to change their clocks for daylight saving time.

The Senate Public Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 377, sponsored by Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, by a 5-1 vote.

It would put the state on daylight saving time for good. We’d still spring forward by an hour this March, but New Mexicans in the future would no longer have to make a seasonal adjustment of their clocks and watches.

The bill has a long way to go, however. Its next stop is the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Smoking in cars: It would be against the law to smoke in vehicles with minors present under a bill approved Thursday by the House.

House Bill 148, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, passed on a bipartisan vote of 34-23. The bill would establish fines of $250 for offenders.

The bill goes to the Senate

Rookie hazing: Freshman Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, got her first bill through the Senate on Thursday amid an outpouring of hazing from colleagues.

A couple of them asked her to sing songs. Others introduced frivolous amendments to her bill, which is designed to protect taxpayers financially if school bus companies fail. One amendment called for all school buses to be painted lavender, Stewart’s favorite color.

In what amounted to a mock vote, senators defeated her bill. Then they reversed themselves, voting 41-0 to approve it.

Many of these same senators routinely rebuke the taxpaying public for applauding from the gallery or in committee rooms. They tell visitors that the decorum of the Senate must always be maintained. But all the rules can be broken if senators themselves want to act out.

Stewart kept her sense of humor. “I really enjoyed the debate,” she said. “Glad I don’t have to sing anymore.”

Hemp bill: A bill to legalize hemp for research is heading to the Senate floor.

The bill cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. That was its third and last committee assignment in the Senate.

Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, is sponsoring the bill. He said Congress, through its Farm Bill, has authorized states to embark on hemp research. McSorley said he expects the federal government to soon authorize growing of hemp for industrial use. Under McSorley’s bill, the state Department of Agriculture would handle licensing of farms if the final federal restriction is lifted.

Child abuse: The House voted 50-10 Thursday night for a bill that would expand penalties for convicted child abusers and those whose abuse contributes to the death of a child.

“This bill protects our children by going after the predators that intentionally seek to harm them,” said Rep. Conrad James, R-Albuquerque, who sponsored HB 182.

Currently, those who intentionally beat a child to death face life in prison if the victim was under the age of 12. Under James’ bill, those who intentionally harm a child, leading to the child’s death, would face life in prison no matter the child’s age.

The bill goes now to the Senate.

Revenge porn: On a unanimous vote with little discussion, the House on Thursday passed HB 142, sponsored by House Democratic Floor Leader Brian Egolf of Santa Fe, which would make it a crime to post intimate photos or videos on the Internet to humiliate and punish former spouses or partners.

Under the bill, the first offense would be a misdemeanor, punishable by a year in jail. Subsequent convictions would constitute a fourth-degree felony.

Next stop for the legislation is the Senate.

DWI loopholes: The House on Thursday unanimously passed a bill aimed at closing loopholes in state drunken-driving laws. HB 86, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, D-Los Alamos would require a home Breathalyzer device and electronic monitoring for an offender under house arrest. Under the bill, driver’s license revocation would depend on both the number of DWI convictions as well as the driver’s breath- or blood-alcohol concentration at the time of arrest.

Similar legislation by Garcia Richard has passed the House in past years but failed in the Senate. In a news release, Garcia Richard said HB 86 addresses some concerns of senators last year.

Quote of the day: “I have learned up here not to indicate that something is critically important to you because they will rework it.” — Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, on his strategy for getting a bill approved intact.

— Santa Fe New Mexican