By Dave Andrusko
On Thursday Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill making New Mexico, already one of the most pro-abortion states anywhere in the United States, even more hostile to unborn children. HB 7 purports to override local ordinances aimed at limiting access to abortion.
“New Mexico has one of the country’s most liberal abortion access laws, but two counties and three cities in eastern New Mexico have recently adopted abortion restrictions that reflect deep-seated opposition to offering the procedure,” Morgan Lee writes for the Associated Press.
“The law that Grisham signed Thursday attempts to override the ordinances and stop others from passing similar pro-life protections,” according to Micaiah Bilger. “Sponsored by state Rep. Linda Serrato, D-Santa Fe, the legislation is supposed to protect ‘access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care’ by prohibiting school boards, city councils and other local governments from discriminating against people based on their ‘reproductive’ choices.”
The American Center for Law and Justice argues that, coupled with a second bill, Senate Bill 13, the results could potentially allow infanticide:
“HB 7 and HB 13 do contain the term ‘perinatal’ as one of the elements of reproductive health care with which the government [or agent of] cannot interfere, deny or restrict,” ACLJ attorney Olivia Summers said. “By including the section that prohibits prosecution or punishment for not seeking perinatal care, the bill appears to be a cleverly crafted way to specifically protect against a failure to seek perinatal care for a baby born alive following a botched abortion.”
New Mexico is thoroughly pro-abortion with hefty Democrat majorities in both houses. When the bill was debated, Republicans futilely but passionately offered amendments which were brushed aside.
“I know that we don’t want to know that this baby is a baby,” said Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, prior to the Senate vote. “I know we want to hide that fact from each other because it helps our conscience. As long as we don’t know what we’re killing, then it doesn’t hurt as bad.”
“Where is this state headed?” Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca of Belen asked. “Where are we headed in things like morality and family building and loving people and taking care of each other? … I hope that God has forgiveness on us.”