Jan. 25—Republicans held up a vote Thursday on a contentious bill to create a paid family and medical leave program in New Mexico after they skipped a hearing that left the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee without a quorum.

Their Democratic colleagues, who met as a subcommittee, moved forward nonetheless and promised a vote on Senate Bill 3 next week — with or without the four Republican committee members present.

“Because of all the people who are here today, we do not want to delay this,” Sen. Carrie Hamblen, D-Las Cruces, told a packed room after waiting about 15 minutes for her Republican colleagues to show up.

“We want to be respectful of the time, the time that you’ve taken from your work, from your businesses, from your jobs, to make sure that your points get across and get heard today,” she continued. “If we do not have a quorum by the time we are done with this presentation today, we will hold onto the bill and do a hard vote on Tuesday.”

Hamblen filled in as committee chair in the absence of Sen. Benny Shendo, D-Jemez Pueblo, who was dealing with unspecified tribal issues.

The four Republican no-shows were Sens. Craig Brandt of Rio Rancho, Ron Griggs of Alamogordo, Joshua Sanchez of Bosque and Greg Schmedes of Tijeras.

After hearing public testimony, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, urged his Republican colleagues “to come up and ask questions” on the bill.

“If this gets rolled over to Tuesday, we’re not going to open this back up,” he said, adding Democrats didn’t want to “push forward” on a one-party basis.

But if Republican committee members don’t show up again Tuesday, Wirth said, “we will move forward with a vote even if they’re not here.”

The bill sponsor, Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said her Republican colleagues have been no-shows at other committee meetings, too.

“It’s certainly one way to make a statement that they’re not interested in working with us,” she said, quickly adding she didn’t think that was truly the case.

“I think I will talk with Senator Baca and ask him what is going on,” Stewart said, referring to Minority Leader Greg Baca of Belen.

A spokesman for Senate Republicans did not respond to a request for comment.

People who testified in support of the bill expressed disappointment the committee didn’t vote for lack of a quorum.

“This conversation has been ongoing for many years,” said Lan Sena, a former Albuquerque city councilor who advocated for the bill as policy director for the Center for Civic Policy but shared she has been diagnosed with stage four cancer for the fourth time.

“For me personally as a cancer patient and sharing my story and learning that I may not even have the summer to live, it’s important for me in talking to committee members, including the Republican Party, especially, to hear these concerns, to hear why I’m here and the tough choices that cancer patients like me are facing,” she said.

Sena said she hoped Republicans are still part of the discussion in the future.

“It’s also part of their job to be in committee and to hear this and discuss this bill,” she said.

After the meeting, Hamblen said Republicans missed out on an opportunity to hear about changes made to the bill since last year.

“The meeting, I felt, was run so that every single side could be heard,” she said. “I’m sad that [the changes were not] heard by my colleagues.”

Follow Daniel J. Chacón on Twitter @danieljchacon.