Shortly after midnight, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted to approved Senate Bill 304 – Voting District Geographic Data sponsored by Senator Brenda G. McKenna, D-Bernalillo & Sandoval. The legislation absorbed some aspects ofSenate Bill 15 – Redistricting Committee (sponsored by Speaker of the House Representative Brian Egolf D-Santa Fe, and Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto D-Bernalillo) and other important recommendations from the New Mexico Redistricting Task Force.
In addition to establishing an independent redistricting commission, the legislation also addresses Native American concerns about inclusion, prohibits consideration of incumbency when drawing new maps, and limits the use of partisan data in the process. These are key amendments reformers called for. SB304 will head to the New Mexico Senate for concurrence. Presuming that chamber approved the revisions made by the House, and by noon today, the legislation will head to the Office of Governor for review. |