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Committee hears sponsors and expert on proposed Green Amendment constitutional resolution
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Summary
Sponsors presented House Joint Resolution 0.232673 (the "Green Amendment") to the Water & Natural Resources Committee and an expert on environmental-rights provisions described relevant case law (Held v. Montana) and experience from other states; members asked legal and policy questions.
Senator Pinto and Representative Lujan Hernandez presented House Joint Resolution 0.232673, commonly called the Green Amendment, which would place language recognizing environmental rights before voters as a constitutional amendment. They said the resolution had been revised and they sought committee discussion rather than endorsement.
Maya Van Rossum, founder of Green Amendments for the Generations and a member of the New Mexico Green Amendment Coalition, introduced herself as an expert and discussed precedent, including Held v. Montana, a youth-filed case that the Montana Supreme Court found violated youths’ rights to a clean and healthful environment. Van Rossum told the committee that the Montana decision requires government officials to consider climate ramifications in decision-making.
Members asked about litigation risk, drafting differences among states and how such a constitutional provision would affect economic and labor concerns. Sponsors said the measure would proceed to the voters only after statutory steps and listening sessions; they stood for questions and committee feedback. No committee vote or final draft action occurred at the meeting.
