Legislative Report Card Who supported VMF Heroes— legislation for veterans Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation and military families? VMF Champions— Legislators who voted in support of legislation benefiting veterans and military families Who didn’t? AWOL—Legislators with the worst voting records on VMF legislation nmvetscaucus.org VMF Caucus DPNM – page 1 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: Representative Eliseo Lee Alcon—Army Veteran HB 120—Military Spouse Expedited Licensure—Provides for licensed professionals to expedite transition from other states to licensure in New Mexico. HJR 2—Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA—Provides a tax exemption to disabled veterans proportional to their level of disability. Died on the House floor calendar. HJR 3—Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA—Increases the property tax exemption for all veterans from $4,000 enacted in 2006 to $10,000. Died on the Senate floor calendar. HB 260—Park Passes for Vets & Gold Star Families—One day use passes at State Parks. Died on the Senate Finance Committee calendar. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 2 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: Representative Debra Sarinaña— Air National Guard Veteran HB 31—Military Justice Code Sex Crimes Definitions—Revises current law to align more closely to Federal Uniform Code of Military Justice and includes sex crimes definitions more descriptive than current code. Affects National Guard members. Representative Harry Garcia— Marine Corps Veteran HB 113—No Discrimination Based on Military Status—Adds language to the Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on a person’s military status; especially benefits National Guard members in housing and employment. Died on the Senate Judiciary Committee calendar. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 3 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: Senator Harold Pope, Jr.— Air Force Veteran SB 271—Purple Star Public School Program—Enables the state to recognize Purple Star schools, designed to emphasize the importance of assisting military children with school transition and aid schools in developing programs to recognize the value of military service and civic responsibility. SB 272—Military Family Early School Enrollment—Establishes Advance Enrollment allowing military children access to registration and enrollment when it is open to the general population and waives proof of residency until the student begins school. SB 275—DVS Responsibility for Homeless Veterans—Adds to DVS’s responsibilities assisting veterans who are experiencing, or at risk for experiencing, homelessness to access services and to assist organizations offering services to those veterans. Died on the Senate Finance Committee calendar. SB 277—Military Retirement Pay Tax Exemption—Allows a military retiree an exemption in an amount equal to $30,000 of the retiree’s net retirement income. Died on the Senate Tax Business and Transportation Committee calendar. SJR 16—Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA—Provides a tax exemption to disabled veterans proportional to their disability of 60% or greater. Died on the Senate Tax Business and Transportation Committee calendar. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 4 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: Senator Bill Tallman— Senator Siah Correa Hemphill— SB 205—Homeless Veteran (Co Sponsored with Senator Harold Outreach—Appropriates Pope, Jr.) $300,000 to DVS to provide SB 271—Purple Star Public School outreach and services to Program—Enables the state to recognize homeless veterans statewide. Purple Star schools, designed to Died on the Senate Finance emphasize the importance of assisting Committee calendar. military children with school transition NOTE: $97,600 was provided for and aid schools in developing programs outreach & services to homeless to recognize the value of military service veterans in SB 377 – General and civic responsibility. Appropriations and Expenditures. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 5 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: The HB 10 Broadband Development Platoon— Representatives Natalie Figueroa, Joy Garratt, Susan K. Herrera, Candie G. Sweetser, Christine Chandler, Marian Matthews, Melanie Stansbury, Angelica Rubio, Debra Sariñana, & Gail Armstrong HB 10 Connect NM Act: Establishes the “Connect New Mexico Council” to coordinate state agency broadband programs & projects in accordance with the Statewide Broadband Plan developed as a result of passage of SB 93. Establishes a competitive grant program funded by the “Connect NM Fund”. Will develop a digital equity analysis & plan to address affordable service to unserved & underserved communities and leverage federal, state & private sector programs. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 6 Legislative Report Card VMF Heroes—Legislators who sponsored VMF legislation: Senators Michael Padilla and Liz Stefanics— SB 93 Broadband Access & Expansion Act—Creates the Office of Broadband Access & Expansion, attached to the Department of Information Technology (DoIT), which will establish standards of service and create a broadband access map and repository of data for unserved and underserved homes and businesses and proposed broadband projects. Develops a statewide broadband plan and implements it. Identifies federal and non-governmental organization (NGO) broadband funding assistance opportunities and assists local governments in applying for them. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 7 Results – House Legislation the Caucus Followed This legislation benefiting veterans and military families was introduced by our Heroes and voted for by our Champions. Here’s how it turned out: HB 10 – Broadband Development Division HB 31 – Military Justice Code Sex Crimes Definitions HB 113 – No Discrimination Based on Military Status HB 120 – Military Spouse Expedited Licensure HJR 2 – Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA* HJR 3 – Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA* HJR 9 – Public Assistance for Infrastructure Development, CA* * CA: Constitutional Amendment, which means, if passed, it would be put on the ballot for voters in the next election. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 8 Results – Senate Legislation the Caucus Followed This legislation benefiting veterans and military families was introduced by our Heroes and voted for by our Champions. Here’s how it turned out: SB 93 – Broadband Access & Expansion Act SB 205 – Homeless Veteran Outreach SB 259 – Tax Deduction for Uniformed Retirees SB 271 – Purple Star Public School Program SB 272 – Military Family Early School Enrollment SB 275 – DVS Responsibility for Homeless Veterans SB 277 – Military Retirement Pay Tax Exemption SB 366 – Evaluate Emerging Broadband Technology SB 413 – Regional Broadband Franchise Act SJR 16 – Veteran Property Tax Exemption, CA* * CA: Constitutional Amendment, which means, if passed, it would be put on the ballot for voters in the next election. VMF Caucus DPNM – page 9 Legislative Report Card VMF House Champions—Representatives who voted YES in support of legislation benefiting veterans and military families: The VMF Champions Honor Roll - Voting Yes for VMF legislation 100 %: Eliseo Lee Alcon (D) Daymon Ely (D) Georgene Louis (D) Patricia Roybal Caballero (D) Anthony Allison (D) Joanne J. Ferrary (D) Tara L. Lujan (D) Angelica Rubio (D) Phelps Anderson (DTS) Natalie Figueroa (D) Patricia A. Lundstrom (D) Debra M. Sariñana (D) Deborah A. Armstrong (D) Doreen Y. Gallegos (D) Willie D. Madrid (D) Linda Serrato (D) Brittney Barreras (D) Harry Garcia (D) Antonio Maestas (D) Nathan P. Small (D) Karen C. Bash (D) Miguel P. Garcia (D) Javier Martinez (D) Melanie A. Stansbury (D) Micaela Lara Cadena (D) Joy Garratt (D) Marian Matthews (D) Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D) Ambrose Castellano (D) Susan K. Herrera (D) Matthew McQueen (D) Candie G. Sweetser (D) Christine Chandler (D) Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D) Roger E. Montoya (D) Elizabeth “Liz” Thompson (D) Gail Chasey (D) D. Wonda Johnson (D) Kristina Ortez (D) Christine Trujillo (D) Meredith A. Dixon (D) Raymundo Lara (D) Andrea Romero (D) Brian Egolf (D) Derrick J. Lente (D) G. Andres Romero (D) VMF Caucus DPNM – page 10 Legislative Report Card VMF Senate Champions—Senators who voted YES in support of legislation benefiting veterans and military families: The VMF Champions Honor Roll - Voting Yes for VMF legislation 100 %: Pete Campos (D) Martin Hickey (D) Steven P. Neville (R) Benny Shendo, Jr. (D) Jacob R. Candelaria (D) Stuart Ingle (R) Bill B. O'Neill (D) William P. Soules (D) Joseph Cervantes (D) Daniel A. Ivey Soto (D) Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D) Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics (D) Crystal R. Diamond (R) Leo Jaramillo (D) Michael Padilla (D) Jeff Steinborn (D) Katy M. Duhigg (D) Gay G. Kernan (R) Shannon D. Pinto (D) Mimi Stewart (D) Roberto J. Gonzales (D) Linda M. Lopez (D) Harold Pope, Jr. (D) Bill Tallman (D) Carrie Hamblen (D) Brenda G. McKenna (D) Nancy Rodriguez (D) Peter Wirth (D) Siah Correa Hemphill (D) George K. Munoz (D) Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (D) Pat Woods (R) VMF Caucus DPNM – page 11 Legislative Report Card Senators who didn’t make the 100% Honor Roll: Senators – Between the Honor Roll and AWOL at 70-99%: David M. Gallegos (R) 86% William F. Burt (R) 83% William E. Sharer (R) 80% Gregory A. Baca (R) 75% Gregg Schmedes (R) 75% VMF Caucus DPNM – page 12 Legislative Report Card Representatives who didn’t make the 100% Honor Roll: Representatives – Between the Honor Roll and AWOL at 70-99%: Joshua Hernandez (R) 89% Rod Montoya (R) 88% Gail Armstrong (R) 89% Jane E. Powdrell-Culbert