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Bill Soules' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Bill Soules did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

New Mexico State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Pro-choice a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
No b) Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
Yes c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
Yes d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
No e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
No f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
No g) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
No h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
DECISIONS ABOUT ABORTION SHOULD BE BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR.

1) State Spending:Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State Taxes:Using the key,indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which of the proposals below you support (if any) for balancing New Mexico's budget by marking (Y) or No (N).

Slightly Increase a) Education (higher)
Greatly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Greatly Increase c) Environment
Greatly Increase d) Health care
Slightly Increase e) Law enforcement/corrections
Slightly Increase f) Transportation/infrastructure
Maintain Status g) Welfare
h) Other or expanded categories:
Slightly Increase a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase c) Corporate taxes
Slightly Increase d) Gas/Oil taxes
Maintain Status e) Property taxes
Maintain Status f) Sales taxes
Maintain Status g) Income taxes (low-income families)
Maintain Status h) Income taxes (mid-income families)
Greatly Increase i) Income taxes (high-income families)
j) Other or expanded categories:
No a) Tapping into New Mexico's "rainy day" fund
No b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities
No c) Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
No d) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
No e) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
No f) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
g) Other or expanded principles:

a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

Yes 1) Individual
Yes 2) Political Action Committee
Yes 3) Corporate
Yes 4) Political Party
Yes b) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
Yes c) Should former legislators be banned from lobbying for the first year after leaving office?
Yes d) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes e) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
No f) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
g) Other or expanded principles:
a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
Yes b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
Yes c) Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
Yes d) Do you support increasing penalties for repeat drunk drivers?
e) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
f) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
No g) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
No h) Do you support requiring proof of United States residency in order to obtain a New Mexico driver's license?
[a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?] Candidate wrote "UNDECIDED" [e) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?] Candidate wrote "DEPENDS (TOO MANY ISSUES INVOLVED TO GIVE Y-N)" [f) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?] Candidate wrote "IT DEPENDS. NOT BLACK/WHITE."
a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
Yes b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
Yes c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
Yes d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
Yes e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
[a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?] Candidate wrote "SOMETIMES TOO BROAD A QUESTION SITUATION SPECIFIC" [f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?] Candidate wrote "IN MOST CASES. THIS IS SITUATION SPECIFIC"
Yes a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
Yes b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
No c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
No d) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
Yes e) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
Yes g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from New Mexico high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
[c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?] Candidate wrote "NOT THE TENURE PROCESS" [e) Do you support state funding for charter schools?] Candidate wrote "WITH OVERSIGHT AND APPLICATION PROCESS"
Yes a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
No b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
Yes c) Do you support state funding for improvements to New Mexico's energy infrastructure?
Yes d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
Yes e) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
f) Other or expanded principles:
Yes a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Yes b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
Yes d) Should a license be required for gun possession?
[c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?] Candidate wrote "AFTER EDUCATION, BACKGROUND, AND LICENSE"
Yes a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
Yes b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
Yes d) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
No e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
Yes f) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
[c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?] Candidate wrote "NEED MORE INFORMATION."
No a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
Yes b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
Yes c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New Mexico's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New Mexico's anti-discrimination laws?
e) Other or expanded principles:
EDUCATION - WE NEED TO REVERSE THE TREND OF CUTTING EDUCATION BUDGETS WHILE EXPECTING BETTER RESULTS. ENVIRONMENT - MOVE TOWARD ADDITIONAL SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY. ENACT LEGISLATION TO MAKE RENEWABLE EASIER AND MORE AFFORDABLE. PROTECT SENSITIVE PUBLIC LANDS FROM DEVELOPMENT AND SPRAWL. CHILD SAFETY & WELFARE - MAKE ADOPTION EASIER, PROVIDE ADEQUATE STAFF TO HELP REDUCE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES REFERRALS THROUGH EDUCATION, PARENTING CLASSES, AND SOCIAL SERVICES. FUNDING THROUGH CLOSING CORPORATE LOOPHOLES, INCREASED TAXES (RETURN TO PRIOR RATE) PARTICULARLY ON WEALTHY, AND INCREASED EFFICIENCIES.

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