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New Mexico Right to Work Bill Falters


At the end of February, a bill that would have made New Mexico the next right to work state fell apart in its state legislature after a House panel, the House Labor and Economic Development Committee, voted upon party lines by a 6 - 5 vote to table House Bill 432 for this session.  

The decision of the 6 Democrats who voted to table the matter should not come as all that much of a surprise.  These Democrats and labor groups had voiced their concern that a right to work bill becoming law in the state would chill employment and prohibit growth in the workforce (not to mention their claim that it would stifle union membership).  

For the time being, Democrats in the state have again prevented right to work from becoming law (after they stalled a similar bill in 2015).  One of the Republican sponsors of House Bill 432, Representative James Townsend, indicated that for a right to work bill to pass, it would depend upon Republicans winning back control of the state legislature in future election cycles.  It will be interesting to see if this matter becomes a driving force to bring out voters going forward (regardless if they support Republicans or Democrats).



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