Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

NM Scorecard 2023

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the New Mexico Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Permanent Residence for Illegal Aliens Under 21

Good Vote: No

HB15 Permanent Residence for Illegal Aliens Under 21 (passed 33 to 6 on 3/18/2023). Allows illegal aliens under 21 years of age to apply for “Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ)” classification in children’s court and seek “lawful permanent residence” in the U.S. if it is in their “best interests” due to “abuse, neglect, abandonment, or similar circumstances.”

2. Universal Background Checks for Firearms

Good Vote: No
HB306 Universal Background Checks for Firearms (passed 28 to 10 on 3/16/2023). Makes it a crime for a person to purchase or transfer any firearm “for, on behalf of or at the request or demand of” another person who is a “felon” or “intends to use, carry, possess, sell, or otherwise transfer” a firearm “in furtherance of a felony or misdemeanor.”

3. State-Sponsored Abortion and Sex Mutilation

Good Vote: No

SB13 State-Sponsored Abortion and Sex Mutilation (passed 26 to 16 on 3/10/2023). Considers “reproductive health care,” such as “abortion,” as well as “gender affirming health care,” to be a “protected health care activity,” which shall not be subject to certain civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action.

4. "Free" School Meals

Good Vote: No
SB4 "Free" School Meals (passed 35 to 0 on 3/4/2023). Expands "free" meals to all public, charter, and private school students attending schools that participate in the national school breakfast and lunch programs.

5. "Diversity Act"

Good Vote: No

SB226 "Diversity Act" (passed 27 to 10 on 2/28/2023). Would establish a “chief diversity officer” for New Mexico, along with a “workforce diversity and inclusion council,” and direct state agencies to address the problem of “institutional racism.”   

6. No Life Sentence for Juvenile Murderers

Good Vote: No

SB64 No Life Sentence for Juvenile Murderers (passed 32 to 8 on 2/22/2023). Eliminates life imprisonment, without release or parole, for juvenile murderers. 

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Gregory Baca R SD-029 83% +++-++
Craig Brandt R SD-040 83% +++-++
William Burt R SD-033 50% .++-.-
Pete Campos D SD-008 20% --+-.-
Joseph Cervantes D SD-031 0% ------
Siah Correa Hemphill D SD-028 0% ------
Crystal Diamond R SD-035 67% -++-++
Katy Duhigg D SD-010 0% ------
David Gallegos R SD-041 67% +++-+-
Roberto Gonzales D SD-006 NA -.-...
Ron Griggs R SD-034 17% --+---
Carrie Hamblen D SD-038 0% ------
Martin Hickey D SD-020 0% ------
Stuart Ingle R SD-027 60% -++.-+
Daniel Ivey-Soto D SD-015 0% ------
Leo Jaramillo D SD-005 0% ------
Gay Kernan R SD-042 33% --+-+-
Linda Lopez D SD-011 0% ------
Antonio Maestas D SD-026 0% ------
Brenda McKenna D SD-009 0% ------
Mark Moores R SD-021 NA +.+...
George Munoz D SD-004 0% ------
Steven Neville R SD-002 40% .-+-+-
William O'Neill D SD-013 0% ---.--
Gerald Ortiz Y Pino D SD-012 0% ------
Michael Padilla D SD-014 0% ------
Shannon Pinto D SD-003 0% ---.--
Cliff Pirtle R SD-032 50% -++-+-
Harold Pope D SD-023 0% ------
Nancy Rodriguez D SD-024 0% ------
Joshua Sanchez R SD-030 100% ..+.++
Gregg Schmedes R SD-019 80% -++.++
Antoinette Sedillo Lopez D SD-016 0% ------
William Sharer R SD-001 83% +++-++
Benny Shendo D SD-022 0% ------
William Soules D SD-037 0% ------
Elizabeth Stefanics D SD-039 0% -.----
Jeff Steinborn D SD-036 0% ------
Mimi Stewart D SD-017 0% ------
Bill Tallman D SD-018 0% ------
Peter Wirth D SD-025 0% ------
John Woods R SD-007 80% +++-.+

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 63.8%
Democrat 0.8%