Last night the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a horrible bill (HB 85 Union Security Agreements).  The passage was no real surprise. While only six percent (6%) of the state’s employees are union members, they have invested millions in state legislators over the years and control a disproportionate number of legislators. 

That controlling influence was evident not only from how quickly HB 85 flew through the House and Senate, but the fact that some legislators openly talk about ignoring the state constitution in regards to this legislation.  For more information, see the data sheet NMBC provided to legislators here and notes used for the comments made to the Senate Judiciary Committee here. 

Consider, for example, the N.M. Constitution, Article 4, Section 24, says laws should not be passed while there is pending litigation.  Because there is a pending case in Sandoval County, Senator Moores asked the HB 85 expert witness, Stephen Curtis, “How can this bill not be a violation of meddling in an ongoing legal case that’s happening?” Mr. Curtis replied, “…for full disclosure, my firm is involved in the litigation of which you’re speaking…”   NMBC has to ask an obvious conflict of interest question:  “Why is a union attorney involved in the Sandoval court case trying to stop RTW the ‘expert witness’ for HB 85, a law that would outlaw RTW, and (if passed) impact the current court case?”