Albuquerque, New Mexico – Today Governor Martinez vetoed S.B. 96, an anti-free speech measure opposed by Concerned Veterans for America (CVA). If passed, the bill would have had a chilling effect on free speech and open debate within the state of New Mexico.
CVA led a coalition of eleven different organizations and sent a letter to Governor Martinez asking her to reject the measure. The group also launched a targeted digital campaign, including a tool which allowed New Mexico constituents to contact Governor Martinez directly via email, Facebook, Twitter, and phone to warn her about the dangers of S.B. 96.
S.B. 96 proposed to allow the state government to access the personal information of New Mexicans and require citizens to report which groups or causes they privately support.
CVA Policy Director Dan Caldwell issued the following statement:
“We applaud Governor Martinez for standing up for free speech and rejecting this clear violation of the First Amendment and concerning invasion of privacy. No one should fear retaliation, discrimination, or harassment simply for standing up for their beliefs. Moving forward, we urge elected officials in New Mexico to look for ways to protect freedom of speech, not diminish it.”
Earlier last year, CVA started “Defend the First,” a project dedicated to beating back threats against free speech at the state and federal level.
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