March 31, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Mexico Supreme Court Orders Counties and Cities to Halt Ordinances
Albuquerque, NM – Today, the New Mexico Supreme Court agreed to hear Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s extraordinary writ filed on January 23, 2023 against Roosevelt County, Lea County, and the Cities of Hobbs and Clovis for unlawfully passing ordinances that restrict access to reproductive healthcare in their communities.
The Supreme Court ordered additional written briefings on the arguments, including to address the effects House Bill 7, the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act, would have on the issues raised in the Writ. In addition, the Supreme Court granted the Attorney General’s request that “the county and city ordinances at issue in this matter are hereby STAYED and shall have no effect until further order of the court.”
“The order by the Supreme Court advances the fight to ensure that New Mexico remains a safe haven for women seeking reproductive healthcare,” said AG Torrez. “This extraordinary writ and the legislation just passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor will make it clear that everyone in the State of New Mexico has a protected, constitutional right to make their own healthcare decisions. Given the attacks we are seeing in Texas and across the country, I am proud to stand with our Legislature and the Governor to continue this fight.”
In addition to the Supreme Court pausing the unlawful ordinances, the Court also ordered that a brief shall be filed before April 20, 2023 that shall assess the effect that House Bill 7, the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act, has on this matter.
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A copy of this order is below: