SUICIDE PREVENTION LICENSE PLATE

HB 480 creates a special suicide prevention license plate available to New Mexico vehicle owners starting January 1, 2026. Owners pay a $35 initial fee (plus a $30 annual renewal) to obtain the plate, with $12 of the initial fee covering plate production costs and the rest funding suicide prevention programs through the state's behavioral health division. The plate issuance will automatically stop after 2031 if annual sales fall below 50% of the average sales from 2026-2031. This directly affects vehicle owners who choose to purchase the plate and funds state suicide prevention efforts.