Tag: New Mexico

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Santa Fe: City Council approves resolution in support of marriage equality

The Sante Fe city council last night passed a resolution by a vote of 5-3 supporting same-sex marriage:

There was a standing room-only crowd for the vote. The Santa Fe Fire Department had to bar the doors before the meeting started, leaving many to watch the proceedings from the hallway.

Many in attendance wore red to symbolize their support for marriage equality. Others sported yellow stickers, representing the Equality New Mexico organization, or pink felt hearts that said “All Families Matter.” A smaller group held pictures of the Virgin of Guadalupe or wore stickers that said “Life and Family are Sacred.”

No public testimony was permitted before the vote. The resolution, which passed by a 5-3 vote (including two abstentions), doesn’t have any effect on state rules and practices.

Sante Fe Mayor David Coss recently declared that there in nothing in state law that bars LGBT residents from marrying. City Attorney Geno Zamora argued in a memo this spring that the definition of marriage in New Mexico’s statutes is gender-neutral. “Since New Mexico does not define marriage as between a man and a woman, and since New Mexico does not prohibit same-sex marriage, same-sex marriage is permitted in New Mexico,” he wrote.

In a 2011 opinion, state Attorney General Gary King said that New Mexico must consider valid all same-sex marriage licenses granted in other states, just the way it honors other marriage licenses.

You do see where this is going, don’t you?

Happy dance time, kids…

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Santa Fe: Press conference on marriage equality resolution

As I wrote yesterday, the mayor of Santa Fe, David Coss, and Councilor Patti Bushee, have announced that they have looked at the laws and constitution of New Mexico and found that there is nothing in New Mexico state law that prohibits same-sex marriage.

Here’s video of Coss’s press conference yesterday, along with Councilor Patti Bushee and City Attorney Geno Zamora.

They announced they will introduce a resolution at the next city council meeting on March 27th stating that marriage equality is legal in New Mexico.

Excerpt from Zamora’s speech:

“Currently, today, under the existing laws on the books…same-sex marriage is legal. This argument consists of four points.

First and most importantly, New Mexico does not define same-sex marriage  as a marriage between a man and a woman. These statutes define it as gender neutral between two parties.

Secondly, New Mexico validly recognizes same-sex marriage from other states.

Third, under New Mexico statue, a marriage license is not permitted to be denied based on the sex of the couple.

Finally, we have a New Mexico constitution that guarantees equal rights on the basis of sex. To deny equal rights to same-sex partners is to violate the New Mexico constitution.

Same-sex marriage is legal in New Mexico. It’s legal for our brothers and sisters, for our parents, for our nephews and nieces, and for our friends.”

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New Mexico: House committee barely passes marriage equality bill

By a narrow 5-4 vote, the New Mexico House Public Affairs Committee passed a bill to place marriage equality to a public vote.

The bill would let voters decide the issue of same-sex marriage, but it also states churches would not be required to recognize the same-sex marriage bill. After hearing very different opinions and personal experiences, lawmakers decided along party lines to pass the bill, which moves it to the next committee.

“We should not discriminate. The state should be doing everything possible to encourage people to enter into committed, long-term relationships, especially when there’s children involved,” Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said.

“What happens to those kids? Those kids were not created in that relationship,” same-sex marriage opponent Jose Vasquez said.

Egolf said he’s been contacted by hundreds of people who thanked him for sponsoring the bill.

The bill must pass out of two more committees before reaching to the floor of the state House. If approved by both state chambers and signed by the governor, marriage equality would appear on the November 2014 ballot.

The prospects of the bill are uncertain as the New Mexico legislature has voted down even domestic partnerships in the past.

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New Mexico: GOP lawmaker introduces bill to charge rape victims with “tampering with evidence”

Just when you thought proposed laws couldn’t get wackier…

JMG points out that New Mexico state GOP Rep. Cathrynn Brown has introduced a bill that would charge the victims of rape with a felony for “tampering with evidence” if they get an abortion should their rape result in pregnancy.

“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime,” the bill says. Third-degree felonies in New Mexico carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit opposing the bill, called it “blatantly unconstitutional” on Thursday. “The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“

As both chambers of the New Mexico legislature has Democratic majorities, the bill is expected to fail.

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“Miss New Mexico doesn’t believe in GLBT rights”

Apparently, Miss New Mexico isn’t all that “enchanted” with the New Mexico LGBT community.

According to Jesse Lopez, president of Albuquerque Pride, the current Miss New Mexico, Madison Tabet, agreed to perform at the upcoming “Outstanding Awards” show to be held on March 11th.

But this past week a rep from the statewide Miss New Mexico offices called with bad news. “The conversation, like I said, was pretty heartbreaking when she said Miss New Mexico doesn’t believe in GLBT rights. So it was an emotional day for me yesterday,” said Lopez.

When a reporter from KOB Eyewitness News 4 called the Miss New Mexico offices for confirmation, Carol Henry, the statewide Executive Director of Miss New Mexico, said that was a personal question she wasn’t willing to answer.

Mr. Lopez showed KOB Eyewitness News 4 documented proof that Tabet had agreed to the appearance through Facebook, email and phone call discussions.

The story at this point seems to be that Ms. Tabet has another appearance scheduled for that night.

Ms. Tabet, unfortunately, was not a finalist during her national pageant.  Nor was she voted Miss Congeniality or honored with a Quality of Life Award at her national pageant.

Miss New Mexico 2009 Nicole Miner, who placed in the top 7 at her national pageant, will take part in the Outstanding Awards show.