Measure would curb wine shipments
SANTA FE — Hands off the Beaujolais. A national wine retail group is coming out swinging against a Senate bill that would bar certain out-of-state companies from shipping wine into New Mexico.
The National Association of Wine Retailers said in a Tuesday statement that if Senate Bill 127 were to be enacted, New Mexicans would no longer have access to wine-ofthe-month clubs or other wines sold only by retailers.
That’s because the bill would only allow licensed wineries to make such shipments.
“(The measure) is a purely protectionist and anti-consumer bill that strips New Mexico consumers of a right they have enjoyed for many years to obtain wine from out-ofstate wine retailers that they can’t find locally,” said Tom Wark, the group’s executive director.
Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, is the legislation’s sponsor. The bill already passed one Senate committee and is now pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
DIAPER DUTY: A bill that would move New Mexico toward a day in which dads would have no excuse not to participate in diaper-changing duties is on the move at the Roundhouse.
Members of the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted 5-0 Tuesday to advance House Bill 205, which is aimed at having diaperchanging facilities in both men’s and women’s bathrooms in stores, libraries and other public places.
This year’s legislation has been scaled back from previous proposals that generated questions about the possible cost burden on businesses.
In its current form, the bill would not apply to existing bathrooms — it would affect only public restrooms built in future years.
Rep. G. Andrés Romero, D-Albuquerque, the legislation’s sponsor, says it’s an inconvenience for parents with young children not to have easily accessible baby-changing facilities.
The bill now goes to the House Health and Human Services Committee.
FOSTER FAMILY AID: New Mexico foster parents and foster children could soon get a break when traveling to state parks and state-run museums.
A free-admission policy would be enacted under House Bill 303, which the House passed 65-0 late Tuesday.
Rep. Kelly Fajardo, R-Belen, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the free entry would be a way of acknowledging the importance of foster parents.
All children under age 16 are already allowed free admission to most state museums and historic sites, and extending that policy to foster families would have a minimal impact on total admission revenue, according to an analysis of the bill.