Hello fellow political junkies!
Currently, Supreme Court justices do not have the same gift restrictions that members of Congress and other federal officials, including federal judges, adhere to.
The High Court Gift Ban Act seeks to remedy this issue by banning Supreme Court justices from accepting gifts valued at $50 or more. The bill also seeks to strengthen Supreme Court ethical standards.
“The Supreme Court – our nation’s highest and most powerful court – should be held to the highest ethical standards to protect our democracy from the power of influence and dark money,” U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, D-New Mexico, said in a press release. “Over the past few years, I’ve seen far too many troubling reports detailing how lavish trips and gifts have compromised the integrity of our justices.”
Luján and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, introduced the bill along with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, Alex Padilla, D-California, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, introduced companion legislation in the House.
Also in the Senate, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, and U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-New York, introduced the Broadening Utilization of Proven and Effective Treatment for Recovery Act, or BUPE for Recovery Act, which seeks to help abate the opioid crisis by increasing access to opioid use disorder treatment drug buprenorphine.
“New Mexicans know too well the heartache of losing a loved one to opioids. Enough is enough. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackle this epidemic with the urgency it demands, which includes eliminating barriers that providers and patients face in accessing life saving medication,” Heinrich said in a press release. “My legislation aims to change reporting requirements for buprenorphine, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective treatment for opioid use disorder. This will help save lives and help New Mexicans get the care they need.”
The BUPE for Recovery Act temporarily exempts buprenorphine from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Suspicious Orders Report System (SORS) requirements during the opioid public health emergency, the press release stated.
“SORS reporting requirements have led to an uncertainty among pharmacies and distributors to stock and dispense buprenorphine, which can prevent individuals suffering from opioid use disorder from receiving timely and effective treatment.
This legislation will mitigate the treatment gap created by stringent SORS reporting requirements, reducing overdose deaths, saving lives, and improving public health outcomes,” the press release stated.
New Mexico election info
New Mexico early/absentee voting begins Tuesday.
The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office posted a list of bond questions and constitutional amendments that will appear on statewide ballots.
These can be seen here. For more information about what will appear on your local ballot contact your local county clerk’s office which can also help you check on or update your voter registration, a process that can also be done online at NMVote.org.
To see who the candidates are please visit the New Mexico Secretary of State’s 2024 General Election Contest/Candidate List.
The Election Results 2024 will be posted to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office website after polls close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. It currently lists the 2024 primary results.
Know your rights as a voter by reading the Voter Bill of Rights.
Upcoming Debate
There is going to be a debate between the incumbent U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Nella Domenici on Oct. 27 at Congregation Albert Brotherhood, 3800 Louisiana Boulevard NE in Albuquerque. There will be a deli brunch at 9:30 a.m. prior to the debate. The deli brunch costs $20 and both require reservations by Oct. 24 which can be made here.
Upcoming interim committee meetings
Interim Legislative Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee will meet Oct. 7 at the New Mexico Museum of Space History 3198 State Route 2001 in Alamogordo.
New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee will meet Oct. 9 in Room 309 at the State Capitol.
Interim Legislative Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee will meet Oct. 9-11 at Stan Fulton Athletics Center’s Villanueva Victory Club New Mexico State University 1815 Wells Street in Las Cruces.
Interim Legislative Economic And Rural Development And Policy Committee will meet Oct. 15-16 at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) Student Services Building 900 University Boulevard SE in Albuquerque and Oct. 17 at Netflix Studios Albuquerque 5650 University Boulevard SE in Albuquerque.
Interim Legislative Finance Committee will meet Oct.22-24 in Room 322 at the State Capitol.
For more information about interim committee meetings, visit nmlegis.gov and click the Committees tab at the top of the screen.
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–Nicole Maxwell