FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2021
Contact: Joaquin Romero
(505) 506-5798
Governor Vetoes Healthcare Facility Operation in Valencia County
Local Senators denounce pithy display of partisanship
SANTA FE – In what can only be described as a fit of partisanship, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham today vetoed legislation for a healthcare facility in Valencia County. House Bill 240 – sponsored by Republican Senators Greg Baca and Joshua Sanchez, and Republican Representatives Kelly Fajardo, Alonzo Baldonado, and Gail Armstrong – would have allowed revenue generated from a 2006 local mill levy to be used for the operation of a 24-hour emergency healthcare facility licensed as a remote location of an acute care hospital. The bill unanimously passed the House of Representatives (67-0) and the Senate (41-0).
Senator Greg Baca (District 29-Bernalillo and Valencia) and Senator Joshua Sanchez (District 30-Cibola, Socorro, McKinley, and Valencia) released the following statements in response to the Governor’s veto”
“This was not just a piece of legislation – it was a lifeline for a community in need,” said Senator Baca. “Our community has been working on this for almost 15 years and we hoped this was the year the Governor would look beyond the city and see the needs of her rural constituents. Instead, in vetoing this good faith bill, she has turned her back on Valencia County and certified her legacy as one of the most partisan and vindictive governors to ever ‘lead’ New Mexico. As for our local citizens, they will sadly spend another year wondering if their lives depend on how fast they can drive to Albuquerque.”
“This was a nonpolitical bill that would have simply removed the final roadblock for rural, south central New Mexico to acquire a hospital,” added Senator Sanchez. “The legislation was so sensible that it transcended the hyperpartisan session and went to the Governor’s desk with unanimous, bipartisan support. The Governor, however, is so out of touch with New Mexico that she is willing to ignore the decades-long plea for quality healthcare in Valencia County. This is a sad day for our county and our state.”
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