While the risk looms that the New Mexico Legislature will attempt to increase liquor excise taxes in the 2025 Session, another threat to alcohol establishments has been given a boost by the results of the primary election held last month.
According to an article by the Santa Fe New Mexican, three of the ten House Democrats who voted against last year’s Family and Medical Leave bill lost their races in the June primary. The bill died in the House on a vote of 36 to 34.
The election losses of Reps. Ambrose Castellano of Serafina, Harry Garcia of Grants, and Willie Madrid of Chaparral — all Democrats who voted against the measure in 2024 — could give the family leave issue an upper hand in the upcoming session because their primary victors are deemed likely to support the measure. Two of those victors will not face an election challenger in November, while one faces a Republican.
The Alcohol Alliance continues to fight this issue, as well as any increase in liquor excise taxes. Our efforts were successful earlier this year when both were defeated, and we are active now while interim committee meetings are being held. You can help by renewing your membership if you haven’t done so yet.