Abortion

Candidate Neomi Martinez-Parra tells her personal story about abortion

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When Neomi Martinez-Parra heard her doctor tell her she needed an abortion about 14 years ago, she went numb. Martinez-Parra, 51, talked to NM Political Report this week about the story of her pregnancy and her abortion because she feels it is important for her to talk about her experience. “I was so embarrassed and ashamed to talk about it,” she said. “Now I’m running for office and I’m talking to lots of women and victims and realize how important it is for women to speak out and speak up.”

Martinez-Parra beat long-time Democratic state Senator and Senate Finance Committee Chair John Arthur Smith in the Democratic primary this June. Smith has held state Senate District 35 for 31 years.

Fair and Just Prosecution

Bernalillo County District Attorney signs statement that he won’t criminalize abortion care

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Raúl Torrez, Bernalillo County District Attorney, signed a joint statement from elected prosecutors around the country who pledged not to criminalize abortion care. Bernalillo County is home to most of the clinics that provide abortions in the state. An additional clinic exists in both Santa Fe County and Doña Ana County. The statement, produced by Fair and Just Prosecution, a fiscally-sponsored project of a public charity called The Tides Center, stated that the 62 prosecutors who signed it would neither prosecute nor criminalize abortion care. “What brings us together is our view that as prosecutors we should not and will not criminalize healthcare decisions such as these – and we believe it is our obligation as elected prosecutors charged with protecting the health and safety of all members of our community to make our views clear,” according to the statement.

Amy Coney Barrett

U.S. Supreme Court could roll back LGBTQ equality

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A court case that could affect anti-discrimination laws in New Mexico will soon be before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Fulton v. the City of Philadelphia, will be heard by the Supreme Court next month. The case involves a Catholic-based organization that sued the city of Philadelphia because the city refused to allow the organization to continue a contract to house youth in foster care because the organization discriminates against same-sex couples. Marshall Martinez, interim executive director of Equality New Mexico, said that if the case is decided by a conservative majority on the court, then a contractor who receives tax payer funding to provide, for instance, homeless shelter services or foodbank services through a government contract could refuse to house or provide food to queer or transgender people. Martinez said that if the court rules against the city of Philadelphia broadly and bases its opinion on a religious argument, then the case could be interpreted to allow one faith-based organization to discriminate against people of other faiths and deny services to people of other faiths.

coronavirus

269 cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths on Sunday

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The state Department of Health announced 269 cases of COVID-19 on Sunday with four additional related deaths. Bernalillo County reported 100 new cases. The counties with double digit numbers include Doña Ana, with 40; Chaves, with 27; Curry with 12 and Lincoln with 10. The Department of Corrections also reported 22 additional cases at the Lea County Correctional Facility. The total number of cases is now 32,983.

ACLU-NM

Maryland court has 40 days to decide on abortion medication

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A District Court in Maryland has 40 days to lift, modify or continue the order it previously made to allow the abortion medication mifepristone to be available through telehealth during the pandemic. The U.S. Supreme Court asked the lower court on Thursday to reconsider a case the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) brought against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the summer. ACOG wants the FDA to allow mifepristone to be available for abortion care through telehealth during the pandemic. Although the FDA approved mifepristone 20 years ago for abortion care, the FDA continues to regulate it as if it were a dangerous drug. The FDA argued in court that people should have to continue to pick up mifepristone at a health care provider during the pandemic.

coronavirus

City of Albuquerque shelter reports 17 cases of COVID-19

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The West Side Emergency Housing Center reported 17 cases of COVID-19 Thursday. The individuals who tested positive for the disease are in isolation and receiving medical care for their symptoms, according to the City of Albuquerque, which issued a news release late Thursday afternoon. The shelter houses about 400 individuals each night, according to the release, but it can house up to 450 people. Until 2019 the shelter only housed people during the winter months, but Mayor Tim Keller converted it into a year-round facility. Though it remains open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for families during the public health emergency, the shelter is not currently accepting new residents and transportation to the facility has been suspended, according to the release.

coronavirus

387 cases reported of COVID-19 Thursday with three related deaths

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The state reported 387 cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths related to the disease. Bernalillo County reported 101 cases. Other counties with double digit numbers include: Curry County, with 65; Dona Ana County, with 57; Chaves County with 25; Santa Fe County with 20; Eddy County with 14; Sandoval County with 14 and Lea County with 10. New Mexico has now had a total of 31,756 COVID-19 cases. 

The three additional deaths brings the total number of deaths to 899. The state Department of Health provided the following information about the three deaths related to the disease:

A female in her 50s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.A female in her 90s from Eddy County who was a resident of the Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad.A female in her 70s from Luna County who was hospitalized.

Abortion

Candidates talk about importance of abortion in state senate races

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While reproductive rights activists worry about the future of abortion rights in the state, some candidates say voters are particularly focused on the issue. With the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18 and President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the high court, reproductive rights advocates’ efforts to repeal New Mexico’s 1969 law is now of even greater urgency for many. If the court overturns Roe v. Wade, New Mexico’s 1969 law, which criminalizes abortion, would again go into effect. Siah Correa Hemphill, a Democrat running for State Senate District 28 in southern New Mexico, said she has received several phone calls and emails from constituents in her district in recent weeks asking about her position on abortion rights. “I know it’s on the mind of many people.

coronavirus

Number of people hospitalized up 30 percent in one week, state announced 227 new cases Thursday

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The state announced 227 additional cases of COVID-19 and five new related deaths during a news conference. The five additional deaths related to the disease brings that number to 882 total. The state Department of Health reported only the following information provided below on the five mortalities related to the disease. A female in her 30s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.A male in his 70s from Doña Ana County who had underlying conditions.A female in her 70s from Eddy County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad.A male in his 20s from Rio Arriba County who had underlying conditions.A male in his 60s from Santa Fe County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. DOH does not disclose which underlying condition any of the deceased had, only if one was present.

Abortion

New Mexico’s 1969 abortion law was one in a long line of laws restricting access

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When the New Mexico Legislature passed the 1969 law on abortion, it was the least restrictive version of the state’s previous abortion laws, but one advocates say would be too restrictive if it goes back into effect. Since U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on September 18, and President Trump’s nominee of conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett, there is a heightened concern that Roe v. Wade could be overturned in the immediate future. If that happens before the state’s 1969 abortion law is repealed, the state could turn back the clock to the 51-year-old law. An attempt to repeal the 1969 law failed in the state Senate in 2019. Related: Senate rejects repealing currently unenforceable anti-abortion law

If it were to become the state’s law, enforcement would be a matter for each individual district attorney’s office, said Matt Baca, chief counsel for the state’s Attorney General Hector Balderas.