Senate Bill 15-Redistricting Act is scheduled for Senate Judiciary Committee Saturday, March 6, 2021. The measure is a committee substitute and contains many of the measures in the New Mexico Redistricting Task Force report including:

• A citizen committee to consider public input and draft a set of maps
• More rigorous criteria than that used in 2011 that provides better protection for previously disadvantaged groups

 
Areas that still need to be addressed include:

• Assurances on Native American participation & consideration of their past concerns about district lines dividing tribal lands
• Prohibitions of consideration of incumbency & partisan data
• Requirements for the Legislature to operate in a transparent manner

 
Watch the hearing, starting at 1:30. The deadline has expired to request the chance to speak, but you can still email your legislator to provide feedback on SB15. Calls, texts or emails to members of the SJC are encouraged.

The "For the People Act," House Resolution 1, would establish cross-partisan Independent Redistricting Commissions in all states to redraw Congressional voting maps. The commissions would be comprised of Democrats, Republicans and Independents – and would be tasked with establishing fair, nonpartisan maps.
 
New Mexico’s current redistricting reform bill, SB15, aligns with the federal legislation in some ways, including protection of communities of interest and compliance with the Voting Rights Act. However, there are several prohibitions in the federal bill that do not appear in the current SB15:

• Favoring any political party
• Considering the residence of the incumbent
• Considering political party affiliation or voting history of the population of a district.
  
  

New Mexicans wishing to see these provisions in SB15 should contact their legislator right away.

The House Judiciary Committee has HB211 Redistricting Act on the calendar for 3/4/21. The bill's lead sponsors are Representative Rebecca Dow and Representative Natalie Figueroa. Additional cosponsors include Representative Kelly K. Fajardo, Representative Joy Garratt, and Representative Georgene Louis.

The legislation wass shaped by insights from the New Mexico Registering Task Force.
 
Learn more about HB211.

Watch the hearing and signup to provide public comment.

All RedistrictNM.org news releases are posted in this location.

In Senate Rules Committee today, a committee substitute bill was introduced that combined Senate Bill 199 (SB199) and Senate Bill 15 (SB15).  SB199 is sponsored by Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Bernalillo) and Senator Mark Moores R-Bernalillo) and SB 15 is sponsored by Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto (-Bernalillo). The three lawmakers, all of whom have a strong track record in support of good governance, worked together on the new language – which passed with approval from Republicans and Democrats.
 
Senator Ivey-Soto created a committee substitute bill that calls for establishment of a cross-partisan citizens redistricting commission. The commission would use criteria, considerably more rigorous than what was used a decade ago, and recommend maps to the legislature.  
 
The committee substitute, which passed on a unanimous 10-0 vote and now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee, potentially the full Senate and then to the House of Representatives.

Dozens of articles have been written in recent weeks and months about the need for fair redistricting in New Mexico. Our partner, Fair Districts New Mexico compiled a comprehensive list of media coverage. Thanks Fair Districts!