{"id":2034451,"date":"2023-09-16T11:15:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T15:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-we-had-to-take-action-new-mexico-referendum-project-aims-to-rescind-six-progressive-laws-using-rights-granted-in-state-constitution\/"},"modified":"2023-09-16T11:18:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T15:18:34","slug":"in-depth-we-had-to-take-action-new-mexico-referendum-project-aims-to-rescind-six-progressive-laws-using-rights-granted-in-state-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-we-had-to-take-action-new-mexico-referendum-project-aims-to-rescind-six-progressive-laws-using-rights-granted-in-state-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico Referendum Project aims to repeal six progressive laws using state constitution rights."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fin-depth-we-had-to-take-action-new-mexico-referendum-project-aims-to-rescind-six-progressive-laws-using-rights-granted-in-state-constitution%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2034451&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>A Grassroots Movement Challenges Threatening Laws in New Mexico<\/h2>\n<p>A powerful \u2063grassroots movement in New \u2062Mexico\u200b is taking a stand against six laws recently passed by the state legislature. These laws, according to the organizers \u200bof the movement, pose a threat to\u200b their communities, infringe upon parental rights, \u2063and compromise \u2064the integrity of the election process.<\/p>\n<p>Larry Marker, an independent oil and gas producer and member of the Referendum Project, which \u2063initiated \u200bthe movement, expressed the growing realization among people that their beloved state has changed. &#8220;People\u200d are starting to \u200crealize that this is \u200bnot the state that they grew up in,&#8221; he \u200dtold The Epoch \u2064Times.<\/p>\n<p>The Referendum Project, a nonpartisan \u200borganization, is supported by Article IV, \u2063Section 1 of the state constitution, which grants citizens the right to \u2063challenge and nullify any law enacted by the legislature, \u200dexcept for specific \u2063cases related to \u200dpublic\u2062 peace, health, safety, and other essential \u2063matters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/new-mexico-governor-flouts-2nd-amendment-5491674\">New\u2062 Mexico Governor Flouts 2nd Amendment<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/14\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/new-mexico-governor-flouts-2nd-amendment-5491674\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/new-mexico-governor-responds-after-federal-court-puts-her-30-day-gun-carry-ban-on-hold-5491660\">New \u2063Mexico Governor Responds After\u200c Federal Court Puts Her 30-Day Gun Carry Ban on Hold<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/14\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/new-mexico-governor-responds-after-federal-court-puts-her-30-day-gun-carry-ban-on-hold-5491660\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Among the laws \u2063that the\u200b movement opposes are HB 7:\u2064 &#8220;Reproductive &#038; Gender-Affirming Health Care,&#8221; SB 397: &#8220;School-Based Health Centers,&#8221; and SB 13: &#8220;Reproductive Health Provider Protections.&#8221; These laws collectively undermine a parent&#8217;s right to be involved in their child&#8217;s healthcare.<\/p>\n<p>Carla\u2062 Sonntag, CEO \u200cof Better Together New Mexico, the organization\u200d supporting\u200c the Referendum Project, highlighted the concerning implications of \u2062these laws. She explained, &#8220;Imagine a young child deciding to change their gender and having the ability to start this process without their parents knowing. The child can go from \u200cthe\u200b classroom down to the onsite school\u200b health \u200ccenter without telling their \u2064parents. Staff can&#8217;t \u2062tell the parents, and \u2063if they did, \u2063they \u2062would be in\u200d violation of the law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The\u2063 Reproductive &#038;\u200c Gender-Affirming Health Care bill allows minors to\u200c undergo medical \u200bprocedures, including abortion and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-may-soon-face-emergency-appeal-on-trans-surgery-for-kids\/\" title=\"SCOTUS may soon receive urgent appeal on transgender surgery for minors.\">gender-affirming \u200bcare<\/a>, without parental notification or approval. Similarly, the School-Based Health Centers bill permits students to receive \u200cmedical treatment at \u2062school clinics without parental consent or knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>The Referendum Project emphasizes that their stance is not about \u200btaking a position on \u200dabortion or transgender \u200dissues. Instead,\u2063 they firmly believe that\u2063 parents \u2064should have the right to\u200d be involved in their child&#8217;s well-being, \u2063rather than leaving important decisions solely in the hands of the school system.<\/p>\n<p>Another law being challenged \u200dis the Reproductive\u200d Health Provider Protections, which shields providers of reproductive and transgender procedures\u200b from\u2063 civil, criminal, and medical malpractice actions. This law also imposes a $10,000 fine on those who discuss alternative treatments, such as promoting adoption instead of abortion.<\/p>\n<p>To\u200b raise awareness and gather support, Better Together New Mexico launched\u200b the &#8220;Not My Kid&#8221; video\u2064 campaign \u200cas part of their public engagement efforts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Jenny Culver\u2062 (left) and Ramona Goolsby (right) hold a banner promoting the Referendum \u200cProject&#8217;s &#8220;Not My Kid&#8221; video campaign. (Courtesy\u2064 of Carla Sonntag)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>State Resistance<\/h2>\n<p>The Referendum Project initially \u2063aimed to collect approximately 180,000 signatures, equivalent to 25 percent of\u200d the eligible electorate, within 90 days after the 2023 legislative session concluded. This would \u2062have prevented the laws \u2063from taking effect and allowed voters to decide \u2062their fate in the 2024 ballot.<\/p>\n<p>However, they faced challenges in meeting this \u200dgoal. \u200b&#8221;First, \u2062it&#8217;s challenging, and secondly, \u2063you&#8217;ve got to get the form\u2063 approved by the Secretary of State,&#8221; explained Carla Sonntag.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a\u200b Democrat, rejected some of the petitions over minor technicalities. &#8220;Once she would kick it back, then we would have to start the process over, fix it, resubmit \u200cit, and she would\u200c take 30\u200b days, right up to \u200bthe 90\u200b days \u200dafter the session ends,&#8221; Sonntag\u200d added.<\/p>\n<p>Although the Referendum Project fell short of their initial\u200c target, they\u200b are now striving to gather signatures from 10 percent of eligible voters for\u2064 each law by June of next \u2062year. This would allow \u200ccitizens to vote on\u200c whether the\u2064 laws should \u2064remain in effect.<\/p>\n<p>However,\u200b Secretary \u200cof State Oliver has classified\u200d all six laws as exempt from the referendum process, citing the clause in the constitution \u2062that\u2063 exempts laws related\u200b to public peace, health, or safety. This has resulted in legal battles between the Referendum Project and the state government.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the\u200d challenges, Larry Marker, who\u200b is also a pro se attorney\u2063 defending the case in court, remains determined. He anticipates that the New Mexico \u200dSupreme\u200c Court will side with \u2063the Secretary of State, \u200dafter which he plans to take the\u2062 case \u2063to the federal district court. \u200dMarker \u200bargues that the state is violating its own constitution and governing its people in a manner inconsistent with its agreement with the United States.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Linda Drake (left) and Sandra Reid \u200d(right) with the New Mexico Referendum Project gather signatures to repeal six progressive laws. (Courtesy of Victoria Derrer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>New Mexico&#8217;s Progressive Leadership<\/h2>\n<p>Larry Marker has witnessed similar strategies\u200d employed by the state of New Mexico in the past. He believes\u2064 that the state has become increasingly corrupt and radically progressive, evident in its treatment of the oil and\u2062 gas industry and the passage of controversial\u200c bills.<\/p>\n<p>He pointed out Governor \u200dMichelle Lujan Grisham&#8217;s recent emergency\u200b order, which temporarily suspended citizens&#8217; right to carry firearms in public\u200b in response to several shooting deaths. When questioned about upholding the U.S. Constitution, Governor Grisham stated that no constitutional right, including her oath, is absolute.<\/p>\n<p>Carla Sonntag emphasized \u2064that the issue \u200clies not with guns but\u2062 with failed leadership. She criticized the governor&#8217;s response to gun violence, which focused on\u200c eliminating qualified immunity for law enforcement officers and reforming \u200dthe \u200dbail system. According to Sonntag, without qualified immunity, officers can be sued even if\u2062 they followed protocol, and the bail \u200dreform system has resulted in criminals being released before their paperwork \u2063is complete.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Sonntag also highlighted \u2062a memo issued by Albuquerque Police Chief\u200c Harold Medina, which directed \u2062police to manage homelessness without arresting people or enforcing laws related to quality of life. She believes that\u2064 this hands-off policy for transients has contributed to\u200d the crime problem in\u200b the city.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Ms. Sonntag\u200b pointed\u2064 to a\u2062 memo (<a href=\"https:\/\/acrobat.adobe.com\/id\/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:9bbacb3b-2a21-42c4-b6d8-6bf3b1e6e9a7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>) Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina issued in April\u2063 2022 that directs police to &#8220;manage homelessness without arresting\u200b people \u200dor punishing them for sleeping outside.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to Mr. Marker, the focus should be on protecting hardworking citizens \u200bwho simply want \u200dto be left alone. \u200dHe emphasized that the\u2063 federal and state constitutions support\u200b this pursuit of\u2062 personal freedom. &#8220;All I want, personally, is to be left the hell\u200b alone, and come to find\u200c out, that&#8217;s the American\u200d dream, right?&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Despite facing resistance from the government, \u2063the Referendum\u2062 Project remains committed to\u200c raising awareness\u200d and educating the \u2062public\u2064 about the impact of \u200cthese laws. They believe that citizens have the right to know what is happening\u2063 and are determined to push \u200dforward.<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Derrer, a point of contact \u2064for the \u200dReferendum Project,\u2064 expressed her personal \u200dconviction to take action. &#8220;As \u2064I learned more\u200b about\u200b these laws, I just\u2062 knew that it was past time for me personally\u200c to put feet\u200c to my convictions,&#8221; she said. The movement has gained momentum through the support of like-minded individuals across the \u200cstate.<\/p>\n<p>In response to The Epoch \u200cTimes&#8217; request for comment, \u2062a\u2062 spokesperson \u200cfor the Secretary of State&#8217;s office defended\u200c their position, stating that \u2064two courts in New Mexico have\u2064 already sided with the office, \u2064affirming the Secretary \u2064of State&#8217;s authority to reject the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-we-had-to-take-action-new-mexico-referendum-project-aims-to-rescind-six-progressive-laws-using-rights-granted-in-state-constitution\/\" title=\"New Mexico Referendum Project aims to repeal six progressive laws using state constitution rights.\">referendum petitions targeting exempted laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What \u200cis the goal of the movement in organizing rallies, town hall meetings, and\u2062 media campaigns<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Making solely in the \u2064hands\u200c of \u200cthe state or school officials.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the movement also challenges the integrity of the \u200belection process through the opposition to SB 4: &#8220;Automatic Voter\u200b Registration&#8221; and SB 10: &#8220;Indicted Parties as Candidates.&#8221; These laws are perceived by the movement as threatening the integrity and fairness of the electoral system.<\/p>\n<p>SB 4 \u200dintroduces <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-republican-state-senators-propose-bills-to-end-no-excuse-mail-voting-automatic-registration\/\" title=\"Georgia Republican State Senators Propose Bills to End No-excuse Mail Voting, Automatic Registration\">automatic voter registration<\/a>,\u2062 potentially allowing ineligible or non-citizen individuals to be \u200bregistered to vote without proper verification. The movement\u2062 argues \u2062that\u200b this could lead to voter fraud and undermine the credibility of elections.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, SB 10 allows individuals who have been indicted for a crime to run\u2064 for public office. The\u2062 movement \u200bquestions\u200b the ethics \u200band trustworthiness of candidates\u200b with criminal\u2062 charges and\u2064 suggests that\u200c this law could \u200bpotentially harm the\u200b trust between elected officials and \u2064the public.<\/p>\n<p>The Referendum Project \u2064asserts that their fight is not \u200dagainst \u200dthe state legislature itself, but rather against these specific laws that\u2062 they believe \u2062infringe upon parental \u200crights and compromise the election process. They have initiated a petition drive\u200b to collect signatures in\u2064 order to\u2063 place these laws on the ballot for a state-wide referendum.<\/p>\n<p>The movement has gained significant traction, with various organizations and individuals showing\u200b support. Grassroots activists, \u2063concerned parents,\u2063 and community leaders have joined forces to challenge these laws and send a message to the state \u2064government.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the movement, proponents\u200d of the challenged\u200c laws argue that they are necessary for progress and\u2063 equality. They contend that reproductive and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/carlson-dem-opposition-to-parental-rights-not-really-about-trying-to-groom-little-kids-overall-it-is-even-worse-than-that\/\" title=\"Carlson: Dem Opposition to Parental Rights 'Not Really About Trying to Groom Little Kids -- Overall, It Is Even Worse than That'\">gender-affirming healthcare<\/a> should\u2064 be accessible to minors without parental interference,\u200c and automatic voter registration\u2064 is a step towards increased democratic participation.<\/p>\n<p>To\u2063 bring \u200battention to their\u200d cause, the movement has organized rallies, town hall meetings, \u2064and media campaigns to inform the public about the potential consequences of these laws. Their goal \u2062is to raise awareness, gather support, and ultimately overturn these laws through the democratic process.<\/p>\n<p>The grassroots \u200dmovement challenging the threatening\u2064 laws\u2063 in \u200bNew Mexico\u200b highlights the \u200cpower of\u200c citizen activism and the importance of safeguarding \u2064individual rights.\u200d By exercising their constitutional right to challenge and nullify laws, these dedicated individuals are striving to protect their \u200ccommunities and uphold the values they hold \u200ddear.<\/p>\n<p>As the movement gains momentum, it remains to be seen whether the state government will \u200baddress these concerns \u2064and\u200d listen to the voices of its citizens. In the\u200c battle between grassroots activism \u2063and legislative decisions, the outcome will likely shape the future \u2063of New Mexico and influence similar\u2064 movements\u2062 across the nation.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, the fight against these laws represents the enduring \u200cspirit \u2063of \u200ddemocracy, where the\u200d power ultimately lies with the people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>part of the movement, stated. The laws, including those related to gun control and voting, have sparked concerns among citizens. The movement aims to protect their communities, parental rights, and fair elections. Marker emphasized the need for people to recognize the changes occurring in their state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":230,"featured_media":2034452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2034451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/230"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2034451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034451\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2034452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2034451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2034451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2034451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}