2014 RATINGS of NEW MEXICO

Transcription

1 2014 RATINGS of NEW MEXICO Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 NM Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 NM Senate Scores 6 How We Selected the Votes 3 NM House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 NM House Scores 10

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, On behalf of our entire Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union s 2014 Rating of the New Mexico State Legislature. Though our State Ratings program is newer than our 44-year old Federal Ratings program, it is quickly evolving into a comprehensive evaluative tool that uses principles of conservatism to rate the voting record of state legislators. Our pledge is to rate every state for each session so that every citizen in the nation knows how his or her state officials vote. Our scoring focuses on the full array of policy issues, including taxes, budgets, religious freedom, 2nd Amendment, government regulation, life, and education. Though Reagan s presidential term ended years ago, his legacy and philosophy live on, continuing to guide modern day conservatives. While we take note how conservatives in State Legislatures cast their votes when choosing legislation to score, we at the ACU are ultimately guided by the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the principles of free markets that articulate the inviolate principles of Life, Liberty, and Property. The goal of our ratings is to educate voters about how the liberal agenda is out of sync with mainstream Americans desire for common sense legislation. It serves also to highlight and educate all Americans about how conservative solutions produce better results. As part of that educational initiative, we are proud to include New Mexico in the 2014 ratings. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Thomas Winter First Vice Chairman Carolyn Meadows Second Vice Chairman Jameson Campaigne, Jr. Secretary Van Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Tim Goeglein Secretary Joe Bast Bob Beauprez Morton Blackwell Ambassador John Bolton Al Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman Kellyanne Conway ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS Jose Cardenas Kimberly Bellissimo Amy Frederick Jonathan Garthwaite Tom DeLay Becky Norton Dunlop John Eddy Luis Fortuno Amy Frederick Charlie Gerow Alan Gottlieb Van Hipp, Jr. James Lacy Charlie Gerow Millie Hallow Colin Hanna Willes Lee Michael Long Grover Norquist Anne Northup Ron Robinson Ned Ryun Fred Smith, Jr. Lewis Uhler Carolyn Meadows Matt Schlapp Thomas Winter HOW WE SELECTED THE VOTES As the nation s oldest grassroots conservative organization, the American Conservative Union serves as an umbrella organization for conservatives in America. The ACU tracks a wide range of issues before Congress and State Legislatures to determine which issues and votes serve as a clear litmus test separating those representatives who defend liberty and liberal members who have turned their backs on our founding principles constitutionally limited government, individual liberty, free markets, a strong national defense and traditional values. As a result, the ACU Ratings have included a wide variety of issues covering votes on taxes, wasteful government spending, cultural issues, defense and foreign policy. To contact ACU on a policy issue, please call The votes selected by the ACU are not always considered the most important votes as defined by others, instead the votes selected are chosen to create a clear ideological distinction among those casting them. With our annual ratings, ACU s mission is informing grassroots conservatives and the public in an unbiased, transparent manner on where individual members of Congress fall on the ideological spectrum H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2014 WINNERS & LOSERS % AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE < 10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE PIRTLE BANDY GALLEGOS D. M. Candelaria Alcon Martinez. W. K. SHARER 80-89% SENATE COTTER MOORES RYAN BRATTON ESPINOZA HAMILTON HERRELL AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT HOUSE ANDERSON BROWN CROOK EZZELL GREY HARPER LEWIS, T. HOUSE POWDRELL- CULBERT ROCH SMITH STRICKLER TAYLOR WOOLEY Ivey-Soto Keller Lopez McSorley Morales Munoz O'Neill Ortiz Y Pino Padilla Pinto Sanchez, M. Shendo Soules Wirth Archuleta Chasey Chavez Dodge Easley Egolf, Jr. Gallegos, D. Y. Garcia Richard Garcia, M. P. Gonzales Kane Louis Lundstrom Madalena Maestas Martinez R. McCamley Miera Rodella Roybal Caballero Salazar N. Salazar T. Sandoval Stapleton Steinborn Stewart Thomson Trujillo, CA Trujillo, CH Trujillo, J. Varela 4

5 NEW MEXICO SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. SB 416 Minimum Wage. This bill raises the minimum wage in New Mexico to $8.50 an hour. ACU opposes creating artificial wages above the market rate that costs jobs among those who need them most, inexperienced workers and students and so opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 4, 2013 by a vote of SB 402 Equal Pay. This bill claims to prohibit wage discrimination based on gender but exempts union-mandated seniority systems and sets up the basis for lawsuits seeking punitive damages. ACU opposes these discriminatory laws whose main objective is to increase opportunity for lawsuits and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 9, 2013 by a vote of HB 379 Film Production Subsidies. This bill increases and expands the Film Production Tax Credit which has given over $300 million since 2003 in subsidies for movie productions that spend ten days in New Mexico. ACU opposes this misuse of taxpayer funds that diverts money from other programs such as roads and education and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 11, 2013 by a vote of SB 481 Teacher Competency. This bill amends the School Personnel Act to create new requirements for teacher advancement that continues a system that ignores student achievement as a factor, a recommendation of New Mexico s Public Education Department. ACU supports that recommendation and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 12, 2013 by a vote of HB 460 Charter School Management. This bill prohibits charter schools from entering into contracts with private enterprise to help manage schools, primarily affecting technology-based educational services. ACU opposes efforts to reduce school choice and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 16, 2013 by a vote of SJR 13 Minimum Wage. This resolution would add an amendment to the New Mexico constitution that would automatically raise the minimum wage without a vote of the legislature or the people. ACU opposes this autocratic proposal that diminishes the power of elected officials and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 14, 2014 by a vote of SB 6 School Choice. This bill allows charter schools to receive a prorated share of education technology equipment. ACU supports strengthening charter schools that in turn strengthens school choice for parents and supported this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 16, 2014 by a vote of SB 263 Special Tax Breaks. This bill authorizes counties to impose excise taxes on alcoholic beverages but exempts favored companies such as microbrewers and wine produced by small winegrowers. ACU opposes the government picking winners and losers in the marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 16, 2014 by a vote of SB 539 Tax Increase. This bill imposes a gross receipts tax on the seller or buyer of out-of-state goods that are delivered to a buyer in New Mexico. ACU imposes what is in effect a state-imposed protectionist tariff that distorts the free market and opposed this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 12, 2013 by a vote of HB 497 Voting Integrity. This bill allows individuals to update their voting registration online which is currently prohibited by New Mexico s election code. ACU opposes election law changes that increase the likelihood of fraud and opposed this bill. The bill passed the senate on March 13, 2013 by a vote of

6 NEW MEXICO SENATE SCORES NEW MEXICO SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 37% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 74% LOWEST REPUBLICAN GRIGGS 56% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 12% HIGHEST DEMOCRAT SMITH 44% NEW MEXICO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SB 416 SB 402 HB 379 SB 481 SB 539 HB 497 HB 460 SJR 13 SB 6 SB 263 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % BEFFORT R % BRANDT R % BURT R 33 + E E % Campos D E % Candelaria D % Cervantes D 31 - E % Cisneros D 6 - E E % COTTER R E % Griego D 39 - E E % GRIGGS R X % INGLE R E % Ivey-Soto D % Keller D % KERNAN R % LEAVELL R E % Lopez D % Martinez D 5 - E E % 6

7 NEW MEXICO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SB 416 SB 402 HB 379 SB 481 SB 539 HB 497 HB 460 SJR 13 SB 6 SB 263 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % McSorley D % MOORES R E % Morales D % Munoz D 4 - E % NEVILLE R % O'Neill D % Ortiz Y Pino D % Padilla D % Papen D E % PAYNE R % Pinto D % PIRTLE R % Rodriguez D E % RUE R 23 + E % RYAN R % Sanchez, C. D % Sanchez, M. D % Sapien D E % SHARER R X % Shendo D % Smith D 35 - E % Soules D % TORRACO R % Wirth D % WOODS R 7 + E % 7

8 NEW MEXICO HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 77 Second Amendment. This bill requires a background check for the transfer of a firearm at a gun show. ACU opposes restricting Second Amendment rights and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 13, 2013 by a vote of HB 379 Film Production Subsidies. This bill increases and expands the Film Production Tax Credit which has given over $300 million since 2003 in subsidies for movie productions that spend ten days in New Mexico. ACU opposes this misuse of taxpayer funds that diverts money from other programs such as roads and education and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 20, 2013 by a vote of HB 242 Renewable Energy Subsidies. This bill creates a separate fund for the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority that uses taxpayer funds to subsidize energy projects the government favors. ACU opposes these programs that pick winners and losers in the energy marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 25, 2013 by a vote of HB 67 Education Curriculum. This bill required the Public Education Department to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards. ACU opposes the state mandating localities adoption of a standard that teaches theories about man-made global warming as fact and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 27, 2013 by a vote of HB 481 Teacher Competency. This bill amends the School Personnel Act to create new requirements for teacher advancement that continues a system that ignores student achievement as a factor, a recommendation of New Mexico s Public Education Department. ACU supports that recommendation and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on March 5, 2013 by a vote of HB 277 Labor Regulations. This bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings or participate in communications with an employer to hear the employer s point of view on a political or religious matter, except for defined religious or political organizations. ACU opposes these free speech restrictions that the New Mexico Attorney General advised may be unconstitutional and opposed this bill. The bill as defeated in the House on March 7, 2013 by a vote of HB 460 Charter School Management. This bill prohibits charter schools from entering into contracts with private enterprise to help manage schools, primarily affecting technology-based educational services. ACU opposes efforts to reduce school choice and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on March 10, 2013 by a vote of HB 641 Tax Reform. This bill makes a modest reduction in the corporate tax rate over a period of years while allowing localities to raise taxes to make up for the loss in revenue. The bill also includes elements of HB379 (above) that expands and increases the film production subsidy. ACU supports corporate tax reform but opposed this bill that was cobbled together late at night minutes before the legislature adjourned for the year. The House passed the bill on March 15, 2013 by a vote of SB 416 Minimum Wage. This bill raises the minimum wage in New Mexico to $8.50 an hour. ACU opposes creating artificial wages above the market rate that costs jobs among those who need them most, inexperienced workers and students and so opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 15, 2013 by a vote of SB 539 Tax Increase. This bill imposes a gross receipts tax on the seller or buyer of out-of-state goods that are delivered to a buyer in New Mexico. ACU imposes what is in effect a state-imposed protectionist tariff that distorts the free market and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on March 16, 2013 by a vote of HB 296 Special Utility Rates. This bill creates new lower utility rates for companies favored by the government while allowing public utilities to recover those rates with higher rates on other customers. ACU opposes this distortion of the marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 14, 2014 by a vote of HB 241 Rail Funding. This bill authorizes $40 million in bonds for a newly created Southwest Chief Rail Service Fund. This is an attempt to keep outmoded long distance trains in operation on track and bridges that have fallen into disrepair. ACU opposes this type of wasteful spending that divert funds from needed road infrastructure maintenance and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 17, 2014 by a vote of

9 13. HB 136 Electric Vehicle Subsidies. This bill creates income tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and charging systems. ACU opposes government subsidies that pick winners and losers in the marketplace and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 17, 2014 by a vote of SJR 13 Minimum Wage. This resolution would add an amendment to the New Mexico constitution that would automatically raise the minimum wage without a vote of the legislature or the people. ACU opposes this autocratic proposal that diminishes the power of elected officials and opposed this bill. The bill passed the House on February 19, 2014 by a vote of HB 348 Education Reform. This bill would have changed the higher education assistance program from a grant to a tuition waver program. This reform sets time limits on when a high school graduate must enroll in a postsecondary institution and deducts other state and federal assistance the student already receives among other reforms. ACU supports these fiscally responsible reforms and supported this bill. The House defeated the bill on February 19, 2014 by a vote of

10 NEW MEXICO HOUSE SCORES NEW MEXICO HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 37% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 81% LOWEST REPUBLICAN McMILLAN 57% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 6% HIGHEST DEMOCRAT IRWIN 29% NEW MEXICO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL* Party District HB 77 HB 379 HB 242 HB 67 HB 481 HB 277 HB 460 HB 641 SB 416 SB 539 HB 296 HB 241 HB 136 SJR 13 HB 348 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Alcon D 6 - X % ANDERSON R % Archuleta D E E E E E % BALDONADO R X % BANDY R X X + X % BRATTON R X % BROWN R 55 + E % Chasey D X % Chavez D E E E E E % CLAHCHISCHILLIAGE R X % COOK R X % Cote D % CROOK R % Dodge D E % Easley D X X X X X % 10

11 NEW MEXICO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL* Party District HB 77 HB 379 HB 242 HB 67 HB 481 HB 277 HB 460 HB 641 SB 416 SB 539 HB 296 HB 241 HB 136 SJR 13 HB 348 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % Egolf, Jr. D 47 - E X % ESPINOZA R X % EZZELL R E E % FAJARDO R X % GALLEGOS D. M. R 61 + X X % Gallegos, D. Y. D X % Garcia Richard D % Garcia, M. H. D % Garcia, M. P. D X X % GENTRY R % Gonzales D % GREY R % HALL R % HARPER R % HERRELL R X % Irwin D 32 - X % Jeff D E X X % Kane D % LARRAÑAGA R 27 X % LEWIS, T. R % Louis D % Lundstrom D E X X X % Madalena D % Maestas D % Martinez R. D % Martinez. W. K. D X % McCamley D % 11

12 NEW MEXICO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL* Party District HB 77 HB 379 HB 242 HB 67 HB 481 HB 277 HB 460 HB 641 SB 416 SB 539 HB 296 HB 241 HB 136 SJR 13 HB 348 ACU Votes Votes Cast ACU % MCMILLAN R X % Miera D % PACHECO R X % POWDRELL-CULBERT R X % REHM R X % ROCH R % Rodella D % Roybal Caballero D % Saaveda D X % Salazar N. D E % Salazar T. D % Sandoval D X E % SMITH R X X % Stapleton D X % Steinborn D % Stewart D % STRICKLER R X % TAYLOR R X + X % Thomson D X % TRIPP R X % Trujillo, CA D % Trujillo, CH D X % Trujillo, J. D E % Varela D E E % WHITE R % WOOLEY R % YOUNGBLOOD R % *The following members of the House did not vote on enough of the selected votes and as a result were not rated: HAMILTON, PEREA. 12

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