State Representative Stefani Lord expressed her disapproval of the decision by Democrats in the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee (CPAC) to vote against classifying knowingly exposing a child to fentanyl as child abuse. She made this statement on the social media platform X on February 9.

"I am still disgusted that the Democrats in CPAC voted against parents/caregivers knowingly exposing a child to fentanyl as child abuse," said Lord. "They literally voted to allow children who have parents smoking fentanyl in the house not to be removed. Breaks my heart. They failed our most vulnerable children."

House Bill 136, introduced by State Representatives Andrea Reeb, Nicole Chavez, Luis M. Terrazas, Gabriel Ramos, and Rebecca Dow, sought to classify the exposure of a child to fentanyl as evidence of child abuse. The bill was intended to take effect on July 1, 2025. It also specified that leaving infants younger than 90 days at a hospital could lead to prosecution for abuse, even if the actions occurred before the infant was left there. Additionally, it proposed that knowingly exposing a child to methamphetamine or fentanyl would be considered evidence of abuse.

Screenshot of State Representative Stefani Lord's Feb. 9 post on X | X

In New Mexico's legislative process, once a bill is submitted during a session, it is printed and assigned to a committee by the chamber’s presiding officer. The committee can approve it with a "Do Pass" recommendation, reject it with a "Do Not Pass" recommendation, or table it for later consideration. If not tabled and approved by the majority of the committee or without any recommendation, the bill moves forward to another committee.

According to reports on the CPAC vote regarding House Bill 136, three members voted in favor of tabling the bill while two opposed it. Republicans Rep. Stefani Lord and Rep. Block voted against tabling the bill; Reps. Ferrary, Rubio, and Thomson voted in favor. Rep. Romero was excused from voting.

Lord has represented New Mexico's House District 22 since 2021. According to Ballotpedia, she holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with an emphasis on neurochemistry from Portland State University and is recognized for her experience as a small business owner and founder of Pro-Gun Women.