The New Mexico legislature ended its 2017 session today without any further action on SB 286, the NM WILDLIFE PROTECTION & PUBLIC SAFETY ACT. This billed stalled in its first hearing in the Senate Conservation Committee and no further action was taken. 

Hello TrapFree NM Friends,

Many of you are wondering just what happened last Tuesday in the Senate Conservation Committee hearing of SB 286, the bill to ban traps and poisons from public land. After impassioned testimony from the public, the senators on the committee discussed elements of the bill. Most of that discussion centered on technical questions about the penalties the bill would impose on violators, about which agency would enforce infractions and on which public lands the state has the ability to restrict traps. Then, rather than voting on the bill, the committee unexpectedly directed the sponsor to come up with a committee substitute bill that would address these questions. (You can watch a webcast of the entire hearing here.)

So in the end, no vote was taken. This means the bill is not dead. In fact, this is the first time in the history of this bill that a legislative committee actually discussed its provisions and did not table it!

Here is what you can do right now to further the bill’s progress:

1. For constituents of Senate Conservation Committee members: If your senator serves on the Senate Conservation committee, please call his or her office to urge a hearing be scheduled for the Committee Substitute for SB 286, the bill to prohibit traps and poisons on public land. As always, be sure include in your message that you are a constituent.

• If you don’t know who your senator is, find out here by entering your address.
• Check here for the list of Senators who serve on the Conservation Committee. Click on their name for their contact information. Calls are probably more effective but you can send an email too. Urge a new hearing for the Committee Substitute for SB 286.

2. For those of you who have had an experience with a trap, we think it appropriate that you tell your story to every senator on the committee above.

3. For everyone: Please thank the bill sponsor, Senator Pete Campos, for taking on the contentious issue of trapping. Urge him to not give up! Let him know you are one of the legions of New Mexicans all over the state who stand with him and are cheering him on to make our public lands more protective of wildlife and safe for the public by reining in trapping on our shared places. We recommend calling his office at 505-986-4311. But you can also email at pete.campos@nmlegis.gov

To everyone who got up early and who traveled long distances to wait for a seat in the hearing room, that moment when you raised your hands in support of the bill was remarkable and powerful. Those who testified bore witness for everyone who couldn’t. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Mary Katherine Ray
for TrapFreeNM.org
575-772-5655

The post Legislative Update: Senate Bill 286 appeared first on TrapFree New Mexico.

In the six decades I’ve been on this planet, American society has become continuously more violent. Movies, TV shows, video games. Mass shootings at churches, temples, mosques, schools. No one single event triggered all this. It’s like the expression “death by a thousand cuts.” No one cut causes death, but lots of little cuts will.

I just witnessed one of these “cuts” that increases violence in America, this one being bigger than most, and it was right here at home in New Mexico, inflicted by the state Senate Conservation Committee in a hearing about a bill to ban trapping on public land.

First, let’s all acknowledge one thing like adults: Trapping is violent and cruel. Forget the spin, the BS. Trapping is cruel, period. It fits one definition of torture.

And that issue, that trapping is cruel, and the danger it presents to the public, are the only issues of contention from the opponents of trapping. Just that. Remember that as you read the rest of this.

Sadly, in all the discussions by and between those senators on the Senate Conservation Committee about SB 286 to ban trapping on public land, none mentioned cruelty or danger. (The bill is being re-worked in the committee.)

Of all the seven senators from this committee that were there, none of them even mentioned the words. You’d think that at least one would say something like “but this trapping is cruel, folks.” But no, they wouldn’t. So I will.

But I won’t tell you about my experience with my dog stepping in a trap, while on a leash, on public land, me being not 2 feet from it myself. It was bad. We’ve all heard hundreds of such experiences for decades now – decades.

Trapping perpetuates cruelty and violence in America. Violence begets violence.

Trapping only benefits a tiny minority of residents, while it is a clear and present danger to many thousands of citizens and tourists and children and their pets.

Trapping sends the wrong message to our youngsters – that inflicting cruelty for money is OK. Studies have concluded that children who are cruel to animals are far more likely to perpetrate domestic violence as adults.

As for the financial impact, trapping accounts for only about $40,000 from licenses yearly.

I should also add that state government even increased the amount of trapping allowable on public land recently.

And here we have seven highly intelligent state senators, all of whom have admirably chosen to serve the common good. But they can’t even say the word “cruelty.” These senators had a chance to reduce the amount of cruelty, and therefore violence, in New Mexico, and thus in America, too. But they wouldn’t even speak the word.

I ask that you pray for these seven Senators, or make a wish if you prefer, that they mature in their morality. Otherwise, violence in New Mexico and America will continue to increase rather than decrease. Especially when senators can’t even say the words.

This Guest Column was publishing in the Albuquerque journal on March 3, 2017.

The post Senators can’t even say the word ‘cruelty’ appeared first on TrapFree New Mexico.

This room is very small and filled very early last week. The overflow crowd had to be moved to an adjacent room where they could only watch the proceedings. So on Tuesday, Please plan to arrive early to be assured a seat so you won’t be in the overflow and will be able to participate in person! We suggest 7 AM.

To speak, plan to say who you are, where you are from and then a short statement about why prohibiting traps, snares and poisons on public lands is important to you. Be brief to leave time for the next person.

However, if your Senator serves on the Conservation Committee it isn’t too late to also contact him or her and urge support of SB 286. Click on his or her name at the link below for their contact information. Calls are the most effective. Be sure to say you are a constituent! Senators are getting a lot of calls from people who aren’t.

• Find out which Senators serve on the Senate Conservation Committee
• Find your New Mexico Senator to see if he serves on the Conservation Committee

We know what a big ask this is and that many of you won’t be able to get to this hearing. Some who did and or who could have attended last week, won’t be able to this week. Know that if you can be there, you are standing for those who can’t. And you are standing for our wildlife; animals that, at this very moment, are struggling in a trap somewhere in our state on our public lands. You are standing for unsuspecting hikers and their dogs. And you are standing for decency and compassion. We only get this chance every two years. Let’s make New Mexico TrapFree this year!

I hope to see you Tuesday!

Thank you!
Mary Katherine Ray
575-772-5655

The post UPDATE – Senate Bill SB 286 to will be heard Tuesday, Feb 21, at 8 AM. Please arrive early if you plan to attend. appeared first on TrapFree New Mexico.