2019 New Mexico Legislative Session  January 15 - March 17 For those of you new to the legislative process in New Mexico, there are a few things you should know. Our legislature is the lawmaking branch of the NM state government. It is made up of two bodies: the House of Representatives and the Senate. You can find out who your legislators are on this website. You can also log into your voter profile on the NM Secretary of State website here.  The Legislature meets in a "long session" every odd-numbered year. A long session is 60 days. Since 2019 is an odd-numbered year, we will have a 60 day session from January 15 to March 16, 2019. On even-numbered years, we hold a short, 30 day session, which is limited to fiscal matters, items specified by the Governor and bills passed in the previous session that were vetoed by the governor. This year we are expecting thousands of bills to be introduced given we have a new governor and a slate of new representatives and senators. Every legislator needs to hear from their constituents, AKA ALL OF YOU, this session. We must hold our legislators to their word and ensure that they are committed to good policy for our state and its residents. Below are a list of legislative advocacy trainings that will give you the resources and tools to speak and advocate for the issues you care about in the realm of social and environmental justice. 2019 will be a HUGE year to step up and speak out to enact change in our state.  There are a number of very important bills that have already been pre-filed at the NM State Legislature. Some include bills like the House Joint Resolution 1 would draw money at the rate of 1 percent per year from the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to support early childhood education programs & House Bill 84 which would ensure automatic registration of voters when they apply for a driver’s license or license renewal at the Motor Vehicle Department. Check out the rest in this recent article from the Santa Fe New Mexican! You can see all pre-filed bills here.  LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TRAININGS FOR NEW MEXICANS January 8-17 Sierra Club - Rio Grande Chapter Legislative Advocacy/lobbying training events Gallup: January 8, 6-8pm, Work In Beauty House, 113 East Logan Santa Fe: January 9, 6-8pm, Jaguar Road Library, 6599 Jaguar Drive Silver City: January 9, 6:30-8:30 pm, WNMU Student Memorial Center, 3rd floor seminar room Las Cruces: January 9, 6-8pm, SWEC, 275 North Downtown Mall Aztec: Thursday, January 10, 6-8 pM The Step Back Inn, 123 W Aztec Blvd Albuquerque: January 17, 6-8pm, St. Mark’s Episcopal, 431 Richmond Pl NE Taos – Date and location TBA   Training description: The urgency couldn’t be greater. A deeply committed alliance of environmental, heath, community, and social justice organizations has come together in the effort to pass game-changing legislation for the health of our planet, now! Your advocacy during and leading up to the 2019 NM legislative session can make the difference between a genuinely progressive and effective environmental platform or more of the same. This is our chance to enact state-level protections that counteract those being stripped by the Trump administration. Our alliance is developing advocacy teams to empower members and give our bold agenda the best chance of success. We will help you every step of the way so you are empowered, informed, and prepared to play  a key role in championing climate, water, wildlife and land protection legislation.  The events are co-hosted by the following groups: 350 New Mexico, Adelante Progressive Caucus, Amigos Bravos, Climate Defenders New Mexico, Conservation Voters New Mexico, Defenders of Wildlife, Earth Care, Environment New Mexico, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Justice Team of Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Fe, Gila Conservation Coalition, Gila Resources Information Project, Indivisible Nob Hill, New Energy Economy, New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, New Mexico Wild, NM Solar Energy Association, Sierra Club, SunPower by Positive Energy Solar, Union of Concerned Scientists, Vote Solar, Western Environmental Law Center, WildEarth Guardians For more information and to RSVP click HERE MONDAY JANUARY 21 Earth Care is hosting: MLK Day Gathering - Setting Our Policy Agenda - Let's do this! Monday, January 21,  9:00-2:30 PM New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico Training description: TWe'll dig in to opportunities for public policy wins in the 2019 legislative session around our issue areas of:1) Education Transformation2) Climate Justice3) Social Justice4) Equitable Community DevelopmentWe'll also join the NAACP for their annual MLK Day commemoration event from 12-1 down in the rotunda. Though this meeting is designed for our Earth Care leadership - our youth and parent leaders, staff, and board - partners and allies are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information and to RSVP click HERE THURSDAY JANUARY 3 Retake Our Democracy Legislative Advocacy  Thursday, January 3, 6:00-8:00pm Center for Progress & Justice, 1420 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM Description: A crucial meeting in readying for the Roundhouse session that begins Jan 15. Retake Our Democracy also has regular meetings on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 4:30-6:30pm at New Energy Economy Offices, 343 E Alameda. Subscribe to email updates for notification of the next Legislative Advocacy Meeting.  Retake's Personal Action Tool Kit is available HERE. THURSDAY JANUARY 10 Educators’ Legislative Preview Thursday, January 10, 4:30 PM ATF - Albuquerque Teachers Federation, 530 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108 Description: This year’s session which begins January 15th offers lots of opportunities for progress in creating safer schools for LGBTQ students and creating an educational system that better serves all students. EQNM and ATF will let us know what’s in the works and how we can support these initiatives. For more information and to RSVP click HERE  FRIDAY JANUARY 11 Policy Analysis Meeting - Fight For Our Lives ABQ Friday, January 11, 4:30 - 6:00 PM First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 Description: At our last meeting we went through all the bills relating to gun control and behavioral health services currently being proposed by the New Mexico state legislature and strategically narrowed them down to six individual bills that we would like to prioritize this legislative session. At this meeting we will do an in-depth analysis of each bill we chose to prioritize in order to better prepare ourselves for lobbying to lawmakers. Open to all community members, food provided. For more information and to RSVP click HERE SATURDAY JANUARY 12 2019 NM Legislative Action Expo Saturday, January 12, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 412, 510 San Pedro Dr SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108 Description: At our last meeting we went through all the bills relating to gun control and behavioral health services currently being proposed by the New Mexico state legislature and strategically narrowed them down to six individual bills that we would like to prioritize this legislative session. At this meeting we will do an in-depth analysis of each bill we chose to prioritize in order to better prepare ourselves for lobbying to lawmakers. Open to all community members, food provided. For more information and to RSVP click HERE JANUARY 14-16 Early Childhood Public Policy Institute Description: Parents, Early Childhood Professionals & Advocates- Join us for the 9th Annual Early Childhood Public Policy Institute at the Sage Inn in Santa Fe from January 14-16, 2019. REGISTRATION IS FREE AND REQUIRED AND are due by Friday, January 11, 2019. Link below in Tickets. We are OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS to cover lodging, travel, food and substitute reimbursements. APPLICATIONS are due by Thursday, January 3, 2019. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Baji Rankin at (505) 243-5437 or baji@nmaeyc.org. For more information and to RSVP click HERE  THURSDAY JANUARY 17 Asian American Day at The Legislature Thursday, January 17, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico Description:Join us for Asian American Day on January 17 at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. This event is held every two years during the long session of the Legislature. Thanks to Senator Mimi Stewart for sponsoring the Memorial. We'll have speakers and performing groups to commemorate the day. For more information and to RSVP click HERE  ACLU Legislative Advocacy Workshops on Immigration, Reproductive Rights and Criminal Justice Reform Albuquerque: January 8, 6-8pm Las Cruces: January 10, 6-8pm Online: January 15, 6-8pm Chaparral: January 16, 6-8pm Santa Fe: January 17, 9am-12pm Deming: January 17, 6-8pm Silver City: January 23, 6-8pm Training description: This upcoming legislative session, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move the cause of liberty forward in New Mexico. A new governor and shakeups in the legislature mean that, for the first time in over ten years, we have multiple opportunities to pass legislation that protects and extends our freedoms. But if we're going to succeed, we need your help. We are holding seven trainings across the state to give you the tools to have powerful and productive conversations with legislators. ACLU of New Mexico trainers will highlight some of the most pressing issues facing our state, and equip you with the tools you need to join the fight to reform our criminal justice system, expand reproductive choice, and ensure all people have a place in our state. For more information and to RSVP click HERE  MONDAY JANUARY 28 JUST TRANSITION CONVERGENCE & CLEAN ENERGY CONFERENCE Santa Fe: January 28, 9:30AM-2:00PM 9:30AM-2:00PM Unitarian Universalist Church, 3:00-9:00 PM Temple Beth Shalom, 205 E Barcelona Rd, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 Conference Description:  The New Mexico Clean Energy Conference is the day before Clean Energy Day at the Roundhouse, with the goal of helping participants meaningfully engage with legislation that will help us curb the climate crisis in New Mexico. The event features two speakers: Goldman Environmental Prize winner Destiny Watford, who in High School successfully lead a movement stop a trash burning incinerator in her Baltimore, MD neighborhood, as well as Laura Paskus, an award-winning environmental journalist for the NM Political Report and correspondent for New Mexico In Focus. For more information and to RSVP click HERE SPECIAL DAYS AT THE LEGISLATURE View full list of special dates at the Legislature HERE. Below are days that we would like to highlight and share with all of you. During the session,  TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM Children and Youth Day 2019  New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Witness for the People hosted by Interfaith Power and Light New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, ALL DAY Deconstructing Racism New Mexico Day State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE THURSDAY JANUARY 24, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM NM Food & Farms Day and School Nutrition Day at the Legislature State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico MONDAY JANUARY 28,  Immigrant Rights Day of Action New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE TUESDAY JANUARY 29, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM Clean Energy Day at the Roundhouse New Mexico State Legislature, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Atrisco Land Rights Council, Pueblitos Flood Recovery Rotunda/State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 10:30 AM- 12:00 PM One Thousand Kid March Rotunda/State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 9:00 AM- 1:00 PM Acequia Day Rotunda/State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 8:00 AM- 12:00 PM New Mexico GRADS, NM GRADS Day State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Central NM College Day State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 8:00am - Noon New Mexico Library Association Legislative Day State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 9:00 AM 2019 African-American Day at the Legislature State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Lands, Water, and Wildlife Day at the Roundhouse  State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Respect NM Women Advocacy Day State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM NM Alliance of Health Councils, Public Health Day at the Legislature - 100th Anniversary of NMDOH State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico LEARN MORE & RSVP HERE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 10:00AM-3:00PM End Mass Incarceration Day of Action State Capitol/Rotunda, 490 Old Santa Fe Trl, Santa Fe, New Mexico Email for more info: Osmani Alcaraz-Ochoa, rochoa@aclu-nm.org