Kathleen Cates — Introduced as the sponsor/presenter for House Bill 295.
Kathleen Cates — Introduces House Bill 295 with Representative Tara Lujan.
Kathleen Cates — Said she appreciates the effort but prefers a less expensive, less expansive government solution and is not willing to support the bill as written.
Kathleen Cates — Makes the motion for a do pass on House Bill 296.
Kathleen Cates — Representative Kathleen Cates was recognized by the chair and then asked why the bill did not extend and strengthen hold harmless provisions for counties and small villages.
Kathleen Cates — Representative Kathleen Cates first asked whether the bill could be rolled back and amended, indicating she could not support it in its current form. She then participated in the vote, including a pass and later a no-to-table vote while saying she would explain her position. In her floor remarks, she agreed with Representative Herndon and said the bill as written could harm small towns, villages, and even larger cities, adding that she would not support it on the floor unless those concerns were addressed.
Kathleen Cates — Representative Kathleen Cates is recognized as a member with questions and then engages in a focused line of questioning about the bill’s fiscal details. She asks whether an LFC representative is present, whether the appropriation is included in the budget, expresses concern about funding levels and the workload impact on LFC, and says she prefers independent data.
Kathleen Cates — Identified as making the motion for due pass.
Eleanor Chávez — Marked here during roll call.
Eleanor Chávez — Representative Eleanor Chávez is mentioned several times in the course of the meeting: the chair initially calls on her and corrects a mistaken name reference, she is later referenced as having asked a prior question, and she is finally named as the second on a motion.
Eleanor Chávez — Named by the chair as one of the committee members with questions and as the first person heard on the motion.
Eleanor Chávez — Said she understands the commission issue and noted the commission is small and likely lacks staff or capacity to issue reports.
Eleanor Chávez — Asked whether the hired person would provide technical advice and direct people to the right place if there is a violation.
Eleanor Chávez — Asked whether universities are included in the proposal.
Eleanor Chávez — Said some universities need advice.
Eleanor Chávez — Representative Eleanor Chavez seconds the motion.
Eleanor Chávez — Representative Eleanor Chavez is called on for questions.
Eleanor Chávez — Representative Eleanor Chavez asks about the number of families impacted.
Eleanor Chávez — The chair called on Representative Eleanor Chavez for questions.
Eleanor Chávez — Asked about the fiscal impact report and whether the hold-harmless amount would be spread across cities and counties.
Eleanor Chávez — Raised concern that Albuquerque and other cities could be hit hard without a full hold-harmless amendment.
Eleanor Chávez — Named as the member the discussion is returned to after the remarks.
Eleanor Chávez — Asked for clarification that the hold-harmless provision be full, not partial, for cities and municipalities.
Eleanor Chávez — The speaker refers to the witness introduction and asks about the witness's expertise in taxes or government budgets.
Eleanor Chávez — Voted yes on the motion.
Eleanor Chávez — Voted yes and said she wanted to explain her vote.
Eleanor Chávez — Voted yes.
Eleanor Chávez — Reiterated support for a full hold harmless and warned Albuquerque could face cuts to services if it is not included.
Eleanor Chávez — Explained that without a full hold harmless, Albuquerque could face cuts to homelessness and other city services, and she would vote no on the floor.
Eleanor Chávez — Listed by the chair as one of the members with questions.
Eleanor Chávez — Representative Eleanor Chávez raises concern that rising health insurance premiums remain an unresolved issue and suggests the for-profit structure of insurance may be contributing to the problem. Other speakers respond directly to her, noting that actuarial review should not be treated as a silo and following up on the same question about why premiums are increasing. The discussion ends with another direct address to Representative Chávez as the speaker adds a final comment, keeping the exchange centered on the same health insurance premium issue.
Sarah Silva — Marked here during roll call; name appears uncertain in transcript.
Joanne Ferrary — Representative Joanne Ferrary was marked present during roll call; the transcript shows two near-duplicate attendance mentions confirming her presence.
Joanne Ferrary — Representative Joanne Ferrary is identified as a questioner and then raises concerns about whether the appropriation is sufficient to fund up to eight actuarial analyses. She asks where the number of analyses came from and questions the expected workload and time required for the actuaries.
Joanne Ferrary — Likely the intended member in the phrase 'Representative to Senator Cortez'; transcription is unclear, but the second is attributed to a member named Cortez.
Jenifer Jones — Representative Jenifer Jones is marked present during roll call.
Jenifer Jones — Representative Jones expressed concern that the Governor's Commission on Disability is very small and may not have the bandwidth or capacity to take on additional responsibilities. She reiterated that the commission is tiny, noted that Representative Martínez had raised many of the same questions, and reflected that her own perspective on disability had changed through personal experience, though she still leaned against the bill. She also said she prefers using existing structures rather than creating another large department and asked why the governor vetoed the bill last year.
Jenifer Jones — Representative Jones was discussed during the committee’s consideration of the bill, where he suggested passing it with no recommendation so the sponsor could keep working on it. The record then notes his votes in the ensuing actions, including a no vote on tabling and a later yes vote.
Alan Martinez — Called as present; transcript likely refers to Minority Whip Martinez.
Alan Martinez — Minority Whip Martínez repeatedly questioned why the bill creates or relies on a separate structure instead of having the Governor's Commission on Disabilities handle the work. He asked whether the commission should be doing it already, whether the sponsors had consulted the commission, what the commission said when asked, and why the commission could not simply be given the responsibility and funding to carry out the task.
Alan Martinez — Minority Whip Martinez made the motion to do pass House Bill 338, was referenced in the motion wording, and later appears in the vote record as voting no on the motion to table and then voting yes on a subsequent vote.
HB279 — Announced as rolled at the request of the sponsor.
HB279 — The chair says HB 279 has been rolled at the sponsor's request.
HB195 — The committee takes up House Bill 195, which concerns protecting physicians’ personal assets in medical malpractice judgments. The sponsor explains the bill and requests a motion to discuss and adopt the substitute, which the committee accepts. Testimony then turns to opposition and concerns, with a witness arguing the bill would exempt a class of people from civil justice and asking for exceptions to be included.
HB195 — House Bill 195 is discussed through related motions to do not pass the bill, including an initial motion to do not pass the bill and do pass the committee substitute, followed by a subsequent motion to do not pass the bill.
Reena Szczepanski — The sponsor is introduced; name appears mis-transcribed as 'Sapanski.'
Reena Szczepanski — Reena Szczepanski responds to questions about the bill’s scope and possible amendments. She says she is open to discussing a monetary cap on protected personal assets and notes the bill will next go to Judiciary. She clarifies that the bill would not protect business-related assets, only personal assets, and explains that dentistry is not currently included because the bill enumerates specific provider types such as physicians and chiropractic physicians, though she would be open to considering it if suggested. She also says the bill was developed from conversations with physicians and other providers, and that after introduction she sent the bill back to those she had consulted without receiving negative feedback or requests for major changes.
SB190 — A member notes that the FIR in the binder appears to be for Senate Bill 190, not the current bill.
SB195 — The FIR for Senate Bill 195 is said to be in the binder, apparently as a misplaced reference.
Nick Madison — Trial lawyer from Albuquerque who testifies in opposition to the bill.