Gov. Signs Admission Bill, Vetoes RFRA
    New Mexico home schoolers experienced a busy legislative season. Now that the state legislature’s regular session is over, here is a report on the four bills for which Home School Legal Defense Association issued legislative alerts.
    Senate Bill 519, sponsored by Senator Nancy Rodriguez (D-24), was passed and signed by Governor Gary Johnson. The bill clarifies previous language regarding home school graduates’ admission to colleges and community colleges—home school graduates are not required to take the GED for admission to any state college or community college in New Mexico.
    Senate Bill 729, introduced by Senator Leonard Rawson (R-37), did not pass. It would have provided tuition scholarships for home school graduates without the necessity of obtaining a GED or recognized diploma.
    H.B. 847 and S.B. 644, the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, were merged together and passed both houses, but were vetoed by Governor Johnson. In order to override the veto, the legislature will have to obtain a vote of two-thirds support in both houses at the special legislative session that will be called later this year. Continue to pray that the legislature will be able to override the veto. This state-level RFRA would restore the fundamental right of free exercise of religion in New Mexico—a right removed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision several years ago.
    HSLDA thanks our members for their calls and letters in support of these alerts. E-mail is the best way for our office to rapidly advise member families of important news and information. No other communication medium is faster, cheaper, or more easily (and accurately) passed on and shared with others. If you have e-mail but have not signed up to receive HSLDA’s E-lert service, sign up on our website at http://www.hslda.org/members/e-lert, or call our office at 540-338-5600. If you do not have e-mail, we encourage you to consider obtaining it.