SB 370 would require New Mexico Medicaid to pay OB/GYN providers at least 250% of the Medicare reimbursement rate for covered services, starting from the July 2024 baseline. It directly affects OB/GYN providers who accept Medicaid patients and requires 75% of any new reimbursement revenue to fund staff pay raises or hiring. The bill appropriates $12 million for fiscal year 2026 to cover these increased payments, with unused funds reverting to the general fund. This policy change aims to improve provider compensation and staffing in a critical healthcare sector.
HB 154 exempts tax-exempt youth-serving organizations (like schools, sports clubs, or educational groups) from needing permits for fundraising raffles. It specifically removes the requirement to comply with New Mexico’s Bingo and Raffle Act for these raffles when the organization primarily serves youth under 18. The exemption applies to all fundraising raffles held by qualifying groups, eliminating administrative hurdles for their events. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, if enacted.
SB 218 updates New Mexico's election administration rules. It adds home address confidentiality protections for election staff and public officials, requires county clerks to complete a certification program within 12 months, and sets new rules for election board composition (like requiring non-partisan team assignments). The bill also removes the elections security program from the Bureau of Elections and modifies ballot procedures, provisional voting, and special election processes. The bill was referred to committees, passed with amendments, but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.
SB 56 would allow New Mexico's Livestock Board to restrict public access to certain livestock-related information during a disease epidemic. This includes operational details (like farm locations, financial data, livestock movements, and account numbers), disease information that could identify individuals or locations, and ongoing investigation records. The board must redact confidential elements when sharing information and cannot withhold data if an investigation concludes with a violation. The bill also ensures individuals can access their own information and requires disclosure only when necessary to address immediate health threats.
HB 25 creates the Land Grant-Merced Infrastructure Act to provide funding for infrastructure projects in designated land grant-merced communities (historical land grant communities recognized as political subdivisions under New Mexico law). It establishes a trust fund that distributes $18 million annually to a project fund, which provides grants for eligible projects like water systems, roads, health facilities, and economic development infrastructure. The bill also allocates 1.1% of state severance tax bond capacity specifically for these projects, with funds managed by a land grant council and administered by the Department of Finance. This legislation directly affects land grant-merced communities by creating a dedicated funding stream for their infrastructure needs.
This constitutional amendment proposes creating a Children, Youth and Families Department and Commission in New Mexico. It would establish a five-member commission (appointed by the governor and legislative leaders) to manage the department and hire an executive director by July 2027. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election to take effect. (Note: This is a procedural constitutional change, not an operational bill.)
HB 472 creates a corporate income tax credit for businesses rehabilitating abandoned buildings in New Mexico. Taxpayers can claim a 25% credit on qualified rehabilitation expenses (up to $700,000 per project), subject to pre-certification by the Economic Development Department and a $20 million annual cap on total credits. The credit requires projects to meet specific cost thresholds (80%-125% of estimated expenses) and must be certified within one year of completion. Unused credits may be carried forward for up to five years, and credits can be transferred to other taxpayers.
HB 460 would repeal New Mexico's Liquor Excise Tax Act, the Distributions of Liquor Excise Tax Act, and the Local DWI Grant Program Act. This bill removes liquor excise taxes from the state's tax code, directly affecting liquor license holders (who would no longer pay this tax) and the state's revenue system. Key mechanisms include amending tax administration laws to delete liquor taxes from required payment lists and eliminating requirements for license transfers/renewals tied to liquor tax compliance. The bill also removes a $50 annual fee for direct wine shipments previously linked to liquor taxes. This is a straightforward repeal of specific tax provisions, not a broader tax reform.
HB 274 amends New Mexico law to classify trafficking fentanyl as a first-degree felony, mandating a life prison sentence. It directly affects individuals who traffic fentanyl - defined as distributing, selling, or possessing with intent to distribute - by elevating the offense from potentially lower felony classifications. The bill modifies sentencing statutes to explicitly list "first degree felony for trafficking fentanyl" with a mandatory life term, removing judicial discretion for this specific crime. This change applies to all offenses involving fentanyl trafficking, regardless of prior convictions, and excludes drug-free school zones from additional sentencing enhancements.
SB 446 appropriates $200,000 to the University of New Mexico's political science department to study the demographics of people speaking at housing and construction-related hearings in Santa Fe and Albuquerque during fiscal year 2026. The research will collect data on speakers' age, sex, race, homeownership status, place of birth, and whether they represent neighborhood associations, then summarize findings in a report for state officials by June 30, 2026. Unspent funds would revert to the state general fund. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, and is not currently active.
HB 350 allocates $1 million from the state general fund to hire outside consultants for the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee. The funds would help the committee analyze factors driving up healthcare costs in New Mexico and develop potential solutions. The money is available for fiscal years 2026-2028, with any unused portion reverting to the general fund by 2028. This bill provides resources for analysis but does not change healthcare laws or directly affect providers or patients.
HB 53 allocates $370,000 from the general fund to the New Mexico Health Care Authority for fiscal year 2026. This funding ensures doctors and clinics that provide vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to Medicaid patients receive full reimbursement for these services. The bill directly affects Medicaid recipients requiring VNS treatment and the healthcare providers who administer it. It is a funding measure, not a policy change, and any unused funds would revert to the general fund by the end of 2026.
