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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR McSorley

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/28/2008

HB

SHORT TITLE Condemn Violence at Abortion Clinics.

SM 26

ANALYST Baca

Duplicates HM 14

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Memorial 26 proposes the New Mexico House of Representatives resolve that:

violence directed at abortion or contraceptive clinics shall never be tolerated in the state of New

Mexico; and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies be commended on their

collaboration and quick response in arresting two of the suspects in the December violence; and

the state support the continued collaboration of all law enforcement agencies leading to the

arrest, indictment and prosecution of these and any future suspects; and copies of this memorial

be transmitted to the Governor and to the Department of Public Safety for distribution to

appropriate federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

This bill has no fiscal impact. The request contained in the bill can be implemented within the

agency’s appropriated budget.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The bill cites the enactment of federal laws to protect the right of abortion and contraceptive

clinics to provide services and deplores the increased incidence of violence and vandalism

directed at clinics in recent years. Nationally, the bill states, in 2006, there were four hundred

seventy-four incidents of violence directed at abortion clinics. In addition, the bill notes,

incidents of violence and vandalism have been directed at abortion clinics in Albuquerque in

March and May of 1999, December 6 and December 25, 2007. Historically, the bill notes that

one hundred seventy-four incidents of arson and ninety-four incidents of attempted arson

directed at abortion clinics and one thousand three hundred six incidents of violence on abortion

clinics occurred in the last thirty years.

LRB/mt