{"id":26712,"date":"2011-03-02T19:57:52","date_gmt":"2011-03-03T02:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=26712"},"modified":"2011-03-03T09:26:03","modified_gmt":"2011-03-03T16:26:03","slug":"lujan-delays-attempt-to-hear-driver%e2%80%99s-license-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2011\/03\/lujan-delays-attempt-to-hear-driver%e2%80%99s-license-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Luj\u00e1n delays attempt to hear driver\u2019s license bill"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Speaker Ben Luj\u00e1n (Photo by Heath Haussamen)<\/p><\/div>\n

This article has been updated to include the governor\u2019s quote, response from Luj\u00e1n, and video of the incident.<\/em><\/p>\n

House Speaker Ben Luj\u00e1n<\/a> abruptly adjourned tonight\u2019s session and walked off the floor, ignoring objections, after he delayed an attempt to hear a bill that would outlaw giving driver\u2019s licenses to undocumented immigrants.<\/p>\n

Rep. Andy Nu\u00f1ez<\/a>, I-Hatch, made a motion to bring his House Bill 78<\/a> directly to the floor, taking it out of a committee that has already tabled it. The rare procedural move, called \u201cblasting,\u201d is a way to bypass the committee process with a majority vote on the House floor.<\/p>\n

A blasting move, if approved by the majority of House members, brings a bill directly to the House floor for immediate consideration.<\/p>\n

The speaker said he would delay consideration of Nu\u00f1ez\u2019s motion until Thursday morning. The House had already spent hours today debating the budget and film incentives. Some members called out their objection of the delay, but Luj\u00e1n ignored them as chaos ensued.<\/p>\n

There was a motion to adjourn, and Luj\u00e1n ruled that the \u201cayes\u201d won the vote over the \u201cnays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many Republican members voiced their objections, and one called out a challenge to the speaker\u2019s ruling, which would normally have led to a role-call vote on whether to adjourn. Ignoring the objections, the speaker instead walked off the House floor.<\/p>\n

Nu\u00f1ez wasn\u2019t giving up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not over. We\u2019ll do it again tomorrow,\u201d he told NMPolitics.net.<\/p>\n

Republicans remained on the floor, stunned, following adjournment.<\/p>\n

Nu\u00f1ez\u2019s bill is one of Gov. Susana Martinez\u2019s<\/a> top priorities for the session. Martinez was quick to lash out at the speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s outrageous that Speaker Ben Luj\u00e1n broke House rules to block an up-or-down vote on the bill to repeal\u00a0driver\u2019s licenses\u00a0for illegal immigrants,\u201d Martinez told NMPolitics.net. \u201cIt\u2019s tactics like this that cause the public to lose faith in its elected leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome tomorrow morning, every House member will make a choice \u2013 either stand with Speaker Luj\u00e1n and support driver\u2019s licenses for illegal immigrants, or stand with New Mexicans and repeal this dangerous law,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n

Does Nu\u00f1ez have the votes?<\/h3>\n

The question now is whether Republicans and Nu\u00f1ez have two Democrats willing to join their cause and give them the necessary 36 votes to bring the bill to the floor. Sources said they did have the votes.<\/p>\n

But Lujan is a master at twisting arms, and sources expect him to spend this evening and tomorrow morning working members to try to kill Nu\u00f1ez\u2019s attempt.<\/p>\n

Martinez will also be lobbying. The governor has caused controversy with her heavy lobbying effort<\/a> for the bill that has included radio ads<\/a> paid for by her campaign and robocalls from the state GOP. Phone lines in the offices of Democrats in the House have been flooded with calls urging passage of the legislation.<\/p>\n

The issue hasn\u2019t gained any traction in the Senate, but House passage of Nu\u00f1ez\u2019s bill might put additional pressure on senators to act.<\/p>\n

Last year, an\u00a0Albuquerque Journal poll<\/a> that found that 72 percent of New Mexicans oppose the law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver\u2019s licenses.<\/p>\n

Updated, 8:30 p.m.<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s video of the entire incident, courtesy of the governor\u2019s office:<\/p>\n