Dear New Mexicans, You may have heard that the Secretary of State is spreading misinformation and trying to obstruct the Referendum Project; nonetheless we will persevere! The referendum process is a constitutionally-protected right in NM. Statewide efforts are continuing in order to gather enough petition signatures to get 6 egregious laws on the November 2024 voting ballot. If you have note yet signed the petitions, please go here to learn where you can sign the Referendum Petitions in your county. More volunteers are also needed to help with collecting signatures:
UPDATES AND NEWS COVERAGE
Multiple legal challenges have been filed against the Secretary of State. Last week a judge in Roswell denied the SOS's motion to dismiss a complaint against her. Another judge has denied the injunction to stop the laws from taking effect, but the judge did not challenge that the Referendum process is still allowed to proceed. There is a lot of media attention being directed at this, which is good. Here are some of those articles:
Abq Journal: The truth behind the referendum project - https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/the-truth-behind-the-referendum-project/article_b85c7894-0c91-11ee-a0a0-b7ac40931763.html
Estancia News: Ethics Complaint Filed Against New Mexico Secretary of State for Attempting to Sabotage New Mexicans’ Right to Referendum Laws - https://estancia.news/ethics-complaint-filed-against-new-mexico-secretary-of-state-for-attempting-to-sabotage-new-mexicans-right-to-referendum-laws/
New Mexico Sun: Referendum Project leader collects signatures to 'protect the people of New Mexico' - https://newmexicosun.com/stories/644346151-referendum-project-leader-collects-signatures-to-protect-the-people-of-new-mexico
Santa Fe New Mexican: Coalition pushing for statewide referendum to stop voting, abortion rights laws - https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/coalition-pushing-for-statewide-referendum-to-stop-voting-abortion-rights-laws/article_f48b642a-dec3-11ed-8bb6-576f85a99583.html
Roswell Daily Record: Laws being targeted for referendum take effect - https://www.rdrnews.com/news/local/laws-being-targeted-for-referendum-take-effect/article_cd20dc18-0d3e-11ee-9c4b-3fcf29e5ef8e.html
KRWG: Lawmakers don’t want decrees challenged - https://www.krwg.org/local-viewpoints/2023-06-12/lawmakers-dont-want-decrees-challenged
WHAT'S IN THE BILLS?
Below is the actual HB7 Bill passed by the NM Legislature, so you can see why we are collecting signatures to challenge this law on the November 2024 ballot.
HB7 Summary:
Unrestricted access to abortion or transgender services for children without parental consent
Strips municipalities of the right to restrict access to abortion and gender transitioning services
Penalizes teachers, nurses, etc with $5,000 fine if they “interfere” with access to abortion or gender transitioning services by telling parents
Does not allow people to opt-out of participation due to moral or conscience objections
This is just one of the 6 Bills that we believe the people of NM have a right to vote on. You can see summaries of all 6 Bills here: https://www.nmfa.us/petitions
TWO WAYS TO HELP
Please SIGN the petitions and HELP US COLLECT SIGNATURES across the state. Wherever you are, additional signatures will be helpful, as thousands of signatures are still needed. Go here to learn where you can sign and get involved in your county: https://bettertogethernewmexico.org/the-referendum-project-county-events/ Thanks in advance for your help as we challenge the bad bills! Donations to support our work are gratefully accepted here: https://www.givesendgo.com/NMFA Standing with you in solidarity, Sarah Smith, Karen Larré, and Melanie Rubin New Mexico Freedoms Alliance National Coalition for Health Integrity