“Social promotion” bill sponsor thwarted on House floor

From Capitol Report New Mexico - Speaker of the House Ben Luján played some hardball politics on Tuesday night (Feb. 14) and Mary Helen Garcia got brushed back. At the end of the House floor session at a little after 8 p.m., Rep. Garcia (D-Las Cruces) took the microphone from her seat and asked to be recognized. The reason? Her bill — one of the so-called “social promotion” bills that Gov. Susana Martinez approves of — had not been heard on the House floor and with the 30-day session winding down, Rep. Garcia wanted it debated in the hopes that it can pass the House. But as Garcia asked to be recognized, Majority Floor Leader W. Ken Martinez (D-Grants) leaped to his feet and grabbed his own microphone and called for the House to be recessed for the night. Garcia still called to be recognized but Speaker Luján (D-Nambé) ignored her, recognized Martinez and closed down the House for the night. Read more

“Social promotion” bill sponsor thwarted on House floor