RR area lawmakers clash over vaccination regulations in special session

SANTA FE — The recent special session at the Roundhouse brought some agreement among members of the Rio Rancho area’s delegation, but they particularly butted heads when it came to bills providing emergency funding for federally funded programs and setting immunization requirements.

Sens. Jay Block, Craig Brandt and Cindy Nava and Reps. Alan Martinez, Kathleen Cates, Catherine Cullen and Joshua Hernandez voted along party lines on House Bill 1 (general appropriations) and Senate Bill 3 (immunization rules and recommendations).

They were, however, harmonious on House Bill 2 (health care coverage changes); Senate Bill 1 (health care grants and stabilization); and Senate Bill 2 (criminal competency) that the New Mexico House and Senate passed during the special session, which ran Oct. 1-2. By Oct. 8, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had signed all five bills after holding out on whether to sign SB3.

Martinez, Cullen and Hernandez issued separate statements all criticizing the session for not addressing the issues they wanted to prioritize, including the state’s shortage of doctors, child welfare and juvenile crime.

“House Republicans showed up ready to work on real emergencies, but once again, the majority refused to even let those ideas be read into the record,” Martinez said.

Cates, however, said in a prepared statement that she was “so proud that both chambers and the governor were able to work together to address the federal cuts and short falls that would affect at least half of the population of New Mexico.”

“These are essential services and these bills will ensure that New Mexican’s do not go without healthcare or food,” Cates wrote.

SB3The bill gives the New Mexico Department of Health the ability to, following agency review, purchase vaccines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Previously, the NMDOH could not purchase certain vaccines without finalized federal recommendations.

Nava, who voted for the bill, said she believes lawmakers crafted legislation to ensure the “advice and recommendation on immunization(s) are guided by science and trusted health experts.”

“The reality is, everyone deserves to be safe,” she said.

Block, who voted against the bill, wrote in a Facebook post that he “debated hard” against SB3.

“Parents want as much information as possible and now you won’t get that from New Mexico because Democrats are once again playing politics with your lives,” Block wrote.

Brandt, Cullen, Hernandez and Martinez also voted against the bill, alongside all of their Republican colleagues in the Legislature. Cates, a Democrat, voted for the bill.

HB1The bill made appropriations for the Health Care Authority ($66 million), public broadcasting ($6 million) and behavioral health ($1 million), among other programs.

Nava said she happy the Legislature was able to “safeguard and defend” public broadcasting.

“In a state like New Mexico, it really is a vital source of local news,” she said.

Cates, Nava’s Democratic colleague, also voted for the bill. However Cullen Hernandez, Martinez, Block and Brandt all voted no.

HB2The bill allows people well above the federal poverty level to receive health care if they meet other requirements. It also gives the state power to retain a premium tax credit to provide New Mexicans if a federal law expires at the end of the year. The state would also be able to protect residents’ health insurance if the federal government makes changes to Medicaid or marketplace insurance.

“That (bill) is clear and real. Premium coverage for health insurance is bound to go up astronomically for folks across the country,” Nava said, adding that protecting New Mexicans from those increases was a priority during the session.

Cates, Cullen, Hernandez, Martinez, Nava and Block voted yes; Brandt voted no. He did not respond to a request for comment.

SB1 This bill injected $50 million from the general fund into the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund to protect health care services in counties with populations under 100,000 people. Block, Brandt, Nava, Cates, Cullen, Hernandez and Martinez all voted yes.

SB2The bill allows metropolitan court judges to preside over criminal competency cases, reversing a measure from earlier in the year requirement all of those cases to go to district court. Block, Brandt, Nava, Cates, Cullen, Hernandez and Martinez voted yes.