Health Security Act before House Appropriations and Finance this afternoon.
House Bill 101, The Health Security Act, filed by Representatives Debbie Armstrong and Bobby Gonzales, was referred to the House Appropriations and Finance Committee late last week as the Democrats began losing control of their members on yet another progressive bill.
The House leadership claims the bill has strong and broad base support in the Democratic Caucus, but who knows for sure anymore.
The new House Whip seems lost, or unconcerned – in either case, it has Roundhouse veterans scratching their heads – did anyone explain to her that the Whip actually needs to whip?
So today proponents of the Health Security Act are asking folks to contact the House members of HAFC. This is from an email from The Health Security Act Campaign:
Date: February 28, 2017
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Call House Appropriations This Morning!
If you haven’t already called House Appropriations & Finance Committee members, please do so now, and ask others to call as well. (Scroll down for more info). House Appropriations will be meeting at 1:30 today in room 307, and the Health Security Act (HB 101) is second on the agenda. There will be an amendment proposed by the bill sponsors to address Appropriations Chair Patty Lundstrom’s concern regarding the Legislative Finance Committee’s role in the fiscal analysis of the Health Security Plan and whether that would involve funds or be an “unfunded mandate.” The amendment — a relatively easy fix — has been prepared. It remains to be seen if this change satisfies the chair.
The votes in Appropriations are tight and, as always, can be unpredictable due to a variety of factors. Case in point: last night’s Senate Judiciary vote to table the Health Security Act. Senate Judiciary’s Disappointing Vote The Senate Judiciary Committee did not hear the Health Security Act (SB 172) until after 7:00 PM yesterday. Some of our supporters could not stay that late. The usual group of opponents declared their opposition: among them, the insurance industry, the Association of Commerce and Industry, and, for the first time this legislative session, the New Mexico Hospital Association. Several supporters drove all the way from Las Cruces to be present. LULAC, CWA, AFSCME, NOW, and others testified in favor of the Health Security Act. After public testimony, the committee chair, Sen. Martinez, asked the committee if there were any questions. Then came the drama.
Sen. Candelaria (D – South Valley/Albuquerque) had already informed us that he would not vote for the bill because it was not “viable.” Attempts were made to discuss this issue with him, but to no avail. His questions focused on the unknowns, the state’s tight budget issue, and the dismal revenue picture in the future to pay for Medicaid and other health programs. The bill’s requirement to have a fiscal analysis completed prior to setting up the Health Security Plan was clearly not persuasive.
Then Sen. Cervantes (D – Las Cruces) raised concerns about the power of the Health Security commission with regard to providers. (He did not respond when it was pointed out that providers would be sitting on the commission and that there would be provider advisory boards. Nor did Sen. Morales’s point that doctors are very unhappy with the complexities of the current system seem to resonate with him.)
No other questions or comments were made by other senators. A motion was made by Sen. Moores (R – Albuquerque) to table the bill. The motion passed 6 to 5. Below are the votes:
For tabling the bill:
Sen. Moores (R)
Sen. Griggs (R)
Sen. Payne (R)
Sen. Baca (R)
Sen. Candelaria (D)
Sen. Ivey-Soto (D) Against tabling the bill: It was clear to us that had Sen. Ivey-Soto voted in favor of the bill, then Sen. Cervantes would have voted to table.
A bill that is tabled, by the way, can be brought back on the table if one of the members voting in the majority (in this case, those who voted to table the bill) requests that motion.
Right now, we are focusing on House Appropriations. More to come soon.
If your representative is a member of House Appropriations & Finance (see the list below) and you didn’t call yesterday, please call this morning and ask your representative to support HB 101 in committee. If your representative is not a member of the committee, please ask any friends or family whose representatives might be on the committee to call. Calling just takes a minute, and the message is simple:
Please vote yes on house bill 101, the Health Security Act.
House Appropriations & Finance Committee Members
(Phone numbers are legislators’ lines at the capitol.) Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, Chair (D – Gallup): 505-986-4316
Rep. George Dodge, Vice Chair (D – Santa Rosa): 505-986-4318
Rep. Randal Crowder (R – Curry County): 505-986-4243 Rep. Kelly Fajardo (R – Valencia County): 505-986-4221 Rep. Harry Garcia (D – Bernalillo, Cibola, McKinley, Socorro, San Juan & Valencia Counties): 505-986-4433 Rep. Jimmie Hall (R – Bernalillo County): 505-986-4215 Rep. Larry Larrañaga (R – Bernalillo County): 505-986-4215 Rep. Antonio Maestas (D – Bernalillo County): 505-986-4438 Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes (R – Bernalillo County): 505-986-4221 Rep. Rudy Martinez (D – Dona Ana, Grant & Sierra Counties): 505-986-4248 Rep. Nick Salazar (D – Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba & San Miguel Counties): 505-986-4432 Rep. Tomás Salazar (D – San Miguel, Santa Fe & Torrance Counties): 505-986-4436 Rep. James Smith (R – Bernalillo, Sandoval & Santa Fe Counties): 505-986-4233 Rep. Candie Sweetser (D – Grant, Hidalgo & Luna Counties): 505-986-4255 Rep. Liz Thomson (D – Bernalillo County): 505-986-4249 Rep. James Townsend (R – Chaves, Eddy & Otero Counties): 505-986-4450
Thank you for calling! |
Calls to House Appropriations THIS MORNING