Potty parity coming for the Roundhouse

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Theres some sprucing-up planned at the state Capitol: Pesky popcorn ceilings will be smoothed out, carpeting installed, voting systems replaced, and at long last female House members will get a bathroom.

The upgrades were announced Monday at a meeting of the Legislative Council.

Lets see if it happens; Ive been waiting 20 years, said Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque, of the long-sought bathroom.

Men in the House have a bathroom right off the House members lounge, just a few feet from the House floor.

But the 26 women in the House have to walk around a hallway to the Senate side of the building to use the female senators bathroom and hope they remembered to take a key.

We miss votes, said Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, who has been lobbying for years for a more convenient bathroom. I missed two or three very important votes. We do not have facilities close enough to the floor.

Stewart sponsored a nonbinding House memorial in 2009, which passed unanimously, that urged development of a plan for a womens bathroom off the House lounge.

But by then the recession had hit, and the Legislature put a halt to remodeling projects.

Now, the state budget for the year that begins July 1 includes $2.5 million for Capitol upgrades. The Legislative Council Service, the Legislatures administrative arm, is coming up with a plan for the new bathroom.

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Potty parity coming for the Roundhouse