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. 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. 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. 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:
Committee Members (10 total): l[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] (The committee includes 4 Republicans and 6 Democrats.) 2. What to Ask Lawmakers You may wish to ask legislators:
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], [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 SupportersThank you for taking a moment to engage in the legislative process and speak up for transparency and public accountability in New Mexico. Additional Documentation
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By Bud Shaver, Santa Fe, New Mexico —As Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham continues to emphasize medical malpractice reform as part of her administration’s legacy and calls for political “unity,” Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) is calling attention to a critical contradiction that remains unaddressed: abortion clinics in New Mexico continue to operate exempt from basic healthcare licensing, inspection, and enforcement standards, despite documented patient harm. Recent reporting by The New Mexico Sun has highlighted the administration’s emphasis on malpractice reform as a policy priority. AFNM notes that this focus on liability reform stands in sharp contrast to state policies that shield abortion facilities from the routine oversight applied to hospitals, surgical centers, and physician practices throughout New Mexico. AFNM’s source-documented report details more than a decade of abortion-related patient injuries, emergency medical transports, and at least one patient death occurring in facilities not licensed as healthcare providers. These documented incidents raise serious questions about patient safety, regulatory consistency, and the credibility of claims that abortion is being treated as healthcare under state law. AFNM emphasized that its call for accountability concerns regulatory standards and patient safety — not the legality of abortion. The organization is calling for the consistent application of healthcare licensing, inspection, and enforcement requirements that apply to other medical facilities in New Mexico. Unlike hospitals, surgical centers, and physician practices, abortion clinics in New Mexico are not subject to routine facility inspections, licensing requirements, or transparent enforcement mechanisms — even as the state positions itself as a destination for abortion services.  (Graphic illustrating the exemption of abortion clinics from routine healthcare licensing and inspection requirements in New Mexico.) “Since abortion is repeatedly described as ‘healthcare,’ it must be subject to healthcare standards,” said Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico. Shaver added that calls for political unity cannot be used to obscure documented regulatory failures. “Calls for unity ring hollow when they are used to protect a political legacy while documented harm goes unaddressed,” she said. AFNM emphasized that the issue is not theoretical, partisan, or speculative. As New Mexico increasingly positions itself as a regional destination for abortion services, patient volume has increased without corresponding oversight or enforcement — deepening the regulatory gap. AFNM also noted that bipartisan silence on the issue has allowed the contradiction to persist. “Lawmakers are not powerless here,” Shaver added. AFNM stressed that malpractice reform, if pursued without addressing oversight exemptions, risks insulating systems from accountability rather than improving patient safety. The organization argues that meaningful reform must include consistent standards across all areas of healthcare, especially where documented harm has occurred. Abortion Free New Mexico is calling on the Governor and the New Mexico Legislature to publicly explain:
“Exemptions are not unity. Silence is not reform,” Shaver said. 📄 Read AFNM’s source-documented report: GOVERNOR TIES LEGACY TO MALPRACTICE REFORM WHILE STATE SHIELDS ABORTION CLINICS FROM ACCOUNTABILITY 📰 Related media coverage:
The New Mexico Sun — Governor’s malpractice reform goals clash with state policies on abortion clinic oversight 📘 Additional public-record information on abortion risks!  By Bud Shaver, Albuquerque, New Mexico — Any loss of human life is tragic and deeply saddening. The recent fatal shootings of American citizens, including Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis during federal immigration enforcement operations, have sparked widespread protest and concern across Minnesota and in cities nationwide. These events have prompted calls for accountability, investigation, and dialogue regarding the use of force by federal officers and the safety of civilians. “Tragedy should lead us to humility, accountability, and restraint — not escalation,” said Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico. “We can grieve loss of life while still affirming the rule of law and supporting law-enforcement officers who are tasked with protecting the public. For more than a decade, the pro-life movement in New Mexico has shown that peaceful, lawful protest is not only possible — it is essential.” Abortion Free New Mexico is unapologetically pro-life, which means valuing every human life and the dignity of every person — regardless of the issue or context. Being pro-life includes respect for law and order, support for the men and women who serve as law-enforcement officers, and a steadfast commitment to peaceful, lawful civic engagement. For more than 15 years, AFNM leaders and volunteers have engaged in peaceful, lawful protest in New Mexico — without violence toward law-enforcement officers or abortion clinic personnel, and without interference with lawful law-enforcement activity. This record demonstrates that principled advocacy and non-violent action can coexist with deep conviction.  (Graphic featuring First Amendment / peaceful protest quote) “Throughout American history, peaceful protest has meant confronting government through lawful speech and assembly — not force or intimidation. The tradition of peaceful protest is rooted in the First Amendment: engaging government through restraint, lawful dissent, and accountability. The First Amendment protects restraint, not escalation. When force enters the equation, protest loses its moral authority and puts lives at risk.” Abortion Free New Mexico condemns actions that escalate conflict, put lives at risk, or undermine public safety — including resisting arrest, bringing weapons into volatile situations, or obstructing lawful law-enforcement operations. Those seeking change should learn from the pro-life example: peaceful conduct, respect for the law, and accountability — not confrontation.
AFNM stands with communities grieving any senseless loss of life and calls for transparent investigations where legitimate questions remain. We also reaffirm our support for law-enforcement officers who serve to protect public safety under the rule of law. Tragedy and tension surrounding enforcement actions must never be used to justify violence or lawlessness. |
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