By Bud Shaver,
Santa Fe, NM — Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) is urging members of the public to contact legislators serving on the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee and ask them to
oppose Senate Bill 30 (SB 30), a bill that would repeal an existing abortion reporting provision in New Mexico’s Vital Statistics Act without replacing it with any alternative transparency or oversight requirements.SB 30 would eliminate a statutory abortion reporting requirement outright, removing a public-record tool used to track abortion-related data in New Mexico. The bill does not reform reporting, modernize it, or provide substitute disclosure standards. It erases the requirement entirely.
AFNM warns that repealing abortion reporting at this moment raises serious concerns, particularly given what the public record already documents.
AFNM’s source-documented reports cite abortion-related patient injuries, emergency medical transports, and at least one patient death occurring in facilities not licensed as healthcare providers. Those incidents are not speculative; they are documented in public records.
“At a time when lawmakers say they want accountability and malpractice reform, SB 30 moves New Mexico in the opposite direction,” said Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico. “This bill removes transparency without offering any replacement. That is not reform.”
AFNM also emphasized that taxpayer dollars are used to fund abortions in New Mexico, including through Medicaid, making public transparency a matter of public finance as well as patient safety.
“When public funds are being used, the public has a right to know how those dollars are spent and what outcomes are occurring,” Shaver said.
“Eliminating reporting makes it harder for taxpayers to track what their money is funding and harder for lawmakers to identify patterns of harm.”
State leaders routinely describe abortion as “healthcare,” AFNM noted. However, abortion clinics in New Mexico remain exempt from routine facility licensing, inspections, and transparent enforcement mechanisms that apply to hospitals, surgical centers, and physician practices.
“Since abortion is repeatedly described as healthcare, it must be subject to healthcare standards,” Shaver said.
“Healthcare requires standards, inspections, and accountability — and it does not operate in secrecy.”
AFNM stressed that opposition to SB 30 is not about the legality of abortion and not partisan. The organization is calling for basic transparency, consistent standards, and public accountability — especially where documented harm and public funding intersect.
“While lawmakers are publicly championing abortion and expanded abortion access in New Mexico, they are simultaneously moving to erase the public data that documents how abortion is performed, funded, and regulated,” Shaver said.
“SB 30 does not increase transparency — it removes it.”
If SB 30 passes this committee, it will move to another committee before heading to the Senate floor.
How New Mexico Residents Can Take Action
Below is a step-by-step guide for constituents who wish to contact committee members and participate in the legislative process.
1. Email Committee Members
Please email the members of the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee and ask them to vote NO on SB 30.When you email:
- Include your full name
- Include your ZIP code (so lawmakers know you are a New Mexico constituent)
Committee Members (10 total):linda.lopez@nmlegis.gov,
martin.hickey@nmlegis.gov,
larry.scott@nmlegis.gov,
jay.block@nmlegis.gov,
angel.charley@nmlegis.gov,
david@ramirezandsonsinc.com,
cindy.nava@nmlegis.gov,
shannon.pinto@nmlegis.gov,
harold.popejr@nmlegis.gov,
rex.wilson@nmlegis.gov(The committee includes 4 Republicans and 6 Democrats.)
2. What to Ask Lawmakers
You may wish to ask legislators:
- To vote NO on SB 30
- Why abortion reporting is being eliminated rather than improved
- How abortion-related injuries and outcomes will be tracked if SB 30 passes
- How taxpayers can evaluate publicly funded procedures without public data
3. Speak at the Committee Meeting
You may also speak during the committee meeting tomorrow, either in person or via Zoom.
Suggested Email to Legislators (Copy & Paste)Subject: Please Vote NO on SB 30
Dear Senator,
My name is [Your Name], and I live in [Your City], ZIP code [Your ZIP].
I am writing to urge you to vote NO on SB 30 when it comes before the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee.
SB 30 eliminates an existing abortion reporting requirement without replacing it. At a time when abortion is publicly funded in New Mexico, removing reporting reduces transparency and makes public oversight more difficult.
Regardless of where one stands on abortion policy, taxpayers deserve visibility into publicly funded medical procedures, and lawmakers need data to ensure accountability and patient safety.
Please oppose SB 30 and support transparency and public accountability.
Thank you for your time and service.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]Closing for New Mexico Supporters
Thank you for taking a moment to engage in the legislative process and speak up for transparency and public accountability in New Mexico.Additional Documentation
📄 Read AFNM’s source-documented analysis
📘 Public-record information on abortion risks
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