New Mexico Legislators Seek To Shield Abortionists From Public Scrutiny

By Bud Shaver,

Santa Fe, New Mexico- An abortion specific bill was recently passed by the New Mexico Senate, that will soon be voted on in the House floor, it will censor public records requests pertaining to abortion providers resulting in withholding important public information from the taxpaying citizens of New Mexico.

• Please contact your Representative and tell them to vote NO on Senate Bill 57 today.

​Senate Bill 57, Medical Provider Patient IPRA Info, seeks to prevent the public from knowing the names of abortion providers, employed by a public body, in New Mexico.

​According to the Secretary of State's website,

The Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), NMSA 1978, §14-2-1 to – 12, is a New Mexico state law that provides the public access to public records. The law requires open access to almost all public records in state and local government, with a few exceptions." 

Several entities submitted bill analysis' regarding Senate Bill 57 and according to the Department of Health's (DOH) Bill Analysis, the University of New Mexico (UNM) is the entity that will be most affected by this legislation because as a public institution they employ abortionists. In addition, the DOH supports this bill because it will help recruit new abortionists to operate in New Mexico. 

The New Mexico Department of Health analysis stated,

"It can be challenging to recruit and retain an adequate number of health care professionals to work in the field of reproductive health given the increasing demand and political spotlight on this type of medical care. This new exception to the IPRA act may help recruit and retain qualified and talented health care professionals to work in New Mexico in reproductive health care and thereby increase the availability of treatment options for persons in need of such services."

In 2024, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that her administration launched a $400,000 ad campaign throughout Texas to recruit more abortionists to New Mexico.

The University of New Mexico's own analysis of the bill stated that it will relieve a burden on fulfilling IPRA requests related to abortion at UNM, even though only 24 requests have been submitted this year. They claim that IPRA's specific to their free standing abortion center, UNM Center for Reproductive Health, targets abortion providers and take too much of their time. However, the public has a right to know how their taxpayer dollars are used, especially at public institutions, and just how much is paid through Medicaid for abortions.

The Albuquerque Journal recently referenced our efforts to obtain public 911 records documenting numerous abortion related injuries being sustained at abortion clinics across New Mexico, including several at the UNM Center For Reproductive Health abortion center, in defense of this legislation. However, that was just disinformation because none of the 911 calls obtained by Abortion Free New Mexico revealed any identifying information about the individuals performing the abortions. That information is already being redacted, in fact, now 911 calls from abortion facilities in New Mexico are being suppressed from public scrutiny altogether citing HIPPA protections.

How hypocritical of UNM to support this legislation to cover up the names of abortionists yet they currently have a Sunshine Portal where the public can see how much every doctor at UNM is paid. One such abortionist is Lisa Hofler, who makes $540,000 a year or $45,000 a month. How much of her salary is paid for by those of us who do not support the killing at UNM? If abortion providers want to be excluded from public scrutiny they should stop receiving tax dollars to fund their barbaric practices.

Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico issued the following statement,

One of the main problems with Senate Bill 57 is that most if not all of the individuals performing abortions are being reimbursed by New Mexico Medicaid which is funded by state tax dollars. 

It is a complete violation of the public trust to not disclose where taxpayer money is spent. The lack of transparency in the New Mexico government is appalling and it just keeps getting worse.

Pro-lifers have a long history of utilizing public records requests to identify abortion providers who have lost their medical license due to medical negligence or malpractice. In many documented instances abortionists have even killed women during abortions. The general public, and especially women seeking abortions, should have access to this information. Abortion providers shouldn’t be exempt from public scrutiny, whereas other medical practitioners are accountable to the public in every other field of legitimate medicine.

​Abortion Free New Mexico is urging the public to contact their New Mexico State representative and ask them to vote NO on Senate Bill 57."