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The Special Session process is not clearly laid out for us. Looking at the 2011 process as well as what we have been told about the 2021 special session, here is our best guess at what the process will be.

The redistricting session will begin on December 6.

The district maps are treated like any other piece of legislation. The Congressional, NM Senate, NM House and the Public Education Commission (PEC) maps are heard in committees and then go to the floor of each chamber. They all have to pass both chambers and be signed by the Governor.

If you would like to see the process for the 2011 session here is the best way:

Go to this link: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation_List.
Under “Sessions” choose “2011 1st Special” to “2011 1st Special” and click “go” You can see how each map flowed through the process.

Note that the HVEC committee is now State Government, Elections & Indian Affairs (HSGEIAC).

Based on what happened in 2011, and what we have been told, here is the path for each.

In 2011 the “concept maps” were the ones developed by Research & Polling. In 2021 the “concept maps” will be the ones developed by the Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC)The NM House and PEC maps will start in the House and will go to the State Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee, in that order.

The NM Senate maps will go to Senate Rules Committee and the Judiciary Committee, in that order. You will see they go to the Senate Committee on Committees first, but that is just procedural.

In 2011 the Congressional maps were heard in both the Senate and House at the same time. Don’t understand how that worked.

You can see that in 2011 legislators introduced alternative maps during the session. That was allowed because it is just like any other session.

Just like 2011 we are told there will be a “Resource Room” staffed by Research & Polling where legislators can go to ask questions. We don’t think it will be open to the public, but we will ask.Here are our “Asks” of the Legislature

A. Select the CRC map that best balances:     Compliance with the Voting Rights Act; free of partisan gerrymandering; protects communities of interest; respects governmental boundaries including tribal boundaries; and does not favor incumbents    

B.  If the Legislature amends the maps sent to them by the CRC they should provide a detailed explanation of why they amended the maps C. During the special session on redistricting all legislative meetings should follow the     letter and the spirit of the Open Meetings Act, the sunshine law.  The public's business should be    conducted in full public view, the actions of the public bodies should be taken openly and all     deliberations be made open to the public. Public access to the proceedings is an essential element of    a properly functioning democracy

The committees to contact: