New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed Senate Bill 6 on Saturday, which would have authorized the state to adopt a pilot industrial hemp program, NPR-affiliate KWRG reports. According to the report, the Republican governor offered no explanation for vetoing the measure, which passed both chambers of the legislature overwhelmingly.
State Sen. Cisco McSorley, who sponsored the legislation, said the governor “has again shown a disregard for hardworking New Mexicans struggling to find a job and provide for their families,” noting that she vetoed similar legislation in 2015.
“Now because of Gov. Martinez, our state’s farmers and rural communities will continue to fall behind as producers across the nation move quickly to capitalize on this versatile crop,” McSorley said in the report. “She owes unemployed New Mexicans an explanation for her years of mismanagement and she owes the public an explanation as to why she continues to reject this common sense job creation measure.”
The measure was not only supported by lawmakers, but also the state Farm Bureau, New Mexico Farm & Ranch, and New Mexico Cattle Growers. The legislation was crafted by the state Department of Agriculture, the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service, and New Mexico State University.
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