House approves $1.2 billion capital outlay bill, after heated debate over abortion funding (New Mexico)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | March 19, 2025 | Dan Boyd

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE — For the second time in three years, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made waves at the Roundhouse by earmarking state capital outlay funding for construction of a new reproductive health and abortion clinic in New Mexico.

The $10 million earmark in this year’s $1.2 billion infrastructure package prompted Republicans to pull their support from the bill on Wednesday, though it was still approved with Democratic support.

“I just think it’s a misappropriation of taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, who predicted the clinic would appeal primarily to out-of-state women seeking abortion services.

During a lengthy Wednesday debate, Montoya led a GOP-driven push to strip the appropriation from the bill, House Bill 450, on the House floor.

But that attempt was rebuffed by majority Democrats. The bill was then approved on a 41-25 vote, with Rep. Joseph Sanchez, D-Alcalde, joining House Republicans in opposing the legislation.

A Lujan Grisham spokeswoman confirmed the $10 million appropriation would be used to build a new clinic in northern New Mexico.

But the Governor’s Office said additional details, including an exact location, were not yet available.

Lujan Grisham in 2023 included $10 million for the construction of a new reproductive health and abortion clinic in Doña Ana County in the annual infrastructure bill. The Democratic governor attended a groundbreaking for the new Las Cruces clinic in September.

During Wednesday’s debate, several House Democrats accused Republicans of trying to politicize the need for more reproductive health care facilities north of Santa Fe.

“They don’t believe there ought to be reproductive health care in the north,” said Rep. Art De La Cruz, D-Albuquerque.

The possibility was also raised that the governor could retaliate against lawmakers if the proposed reproductive health care facility funding were to be struck from the bill by vetoing other projects.

[CedarDave]

Some facts from later in the article about abortion in New Mexico:

• New Mexico has emerged as a safe haven for women seeking abortion services after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade.
• While neighboring states, including Texas, have approved near-total abortion bans, Governor Lujan Grisham has signed measures aimed at shielding New Mexico abortion providers from out-of-state arrest warrants.
• Her administration has issued lawsuits blocking local anti-abortion ordinances from taking effect. The New Mexico Supreme Court in January struck down local ordinances adopted by Eunice, Jal and several counties.
• Patients coming to New Mexico from Texas made up about 70% of the estimated 21,000 abortions provided in the state in 2023, according to a Guttmacher Institute study.

[CedarDave]

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[CedarDave]

FYI

[Sacajaweau]

This is State Funding...not Federal...

[CondoleezzaProtege]

this is sickening

[JME_FAN]

The New Mexico governor needs to be “aborted.”

[SaveFerris]

(DEMOCRAT Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham)

DEMOCRATS LOVE KILLING
THEM DEFENSELESS BABIES

(Abortion)

("For what does it profit a man who shall gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul?")

DEMOCRAT Cecile Richards had a Lamborghini. And a DEMOCRAT Joe Biden pResidential Medal of Freedom...

(Abortion)

Democrat Joe Biden gave a medal 🥇 of freedom
to Cecile Richards in 2024, who made her money
terminating the lives of other human beings.

How very Democrat of them.