SENATE MEMORIAL 18

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Gerald P. Ortiz y Pino

A MEMORIAL

CONDEMNING VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVE CLINICS; COMMENDING LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR ITS WORK TO END THE VIOLENCE.

     WHEREAS, since January 22, 1973, the right to a safe and legal abortion has been the law in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the United States congress passed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 in May 1994; and

     WHEREAS, in 2006, there were four hundred seventy-four incidents of violence directed at abortion clinics nationally; and

     WHEREAS, there have been one hundred seventy-four incidents of arson and ninety-four incidents of attempted arson directed at abortion clinics in the last thirty years; and

     WHEREAS, there have been one thousand three hundred six incidents of vandalism on abortion clinics in the last thirty years; and

     WHEREAS, abortion clinics in Albuquerque have been the target of arson in March 1999, May 1999 and more recently, in December 2007; and

     WHEREAS, the December 6, 2007 arson of an Albuquerque abortion clinic destroyed the clinic; and

     WHEREAS, the violence continued on December 25, 2007 when there was an arson attempt on another Albuquerque abortion clinic; and

     WHEREAS, also on December 25, 2007, a contraceptive clinic in Albuquerque was vandalized;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that violence directed at abortion or contraceptive clinics shall never be tolerated in the state of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 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

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that 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

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that 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.

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