HB 475 creates a dedicated Transportation Trust Fund in New Mexico to finance transportation infrastructure. It establishes new revenue streams, including 1% to 2% of electricity sales tax revenue (increasing over time), and adjusts motor vehicle excise tax distributions to send 30% of proceeds to the Trust Fund after 2027. The fund will provide state matching funds for federal transportation grants and may cover general fund shortfalls if other reserves are exhausted. This directly affects state budget allocations, transportation project funding, and taxpayers through electricity and vehicle-related taxes.
SB 38 creates a new Office of Special Education within New Mexico's Public Education Department, headed by a deputy secretary appointed for expertise in special education. The bill reorganizes oversight by moving the State Special Education Ombud from the Developmental Disabilities Council to the Public Education Department and transfers certain federal funding to the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The Office will oversee school district compliance with federal special education law (IDEA), monitor student progress, develop transition plans for students with disabilities, and coordinate services across state agencies. It directly affects students with disabilities, school districts, and state education agencies by establishing new oversight structures and requiring annual training for school staff on special education requirements. The law also mandates updates to state special education policy plans every three years.
SB 360 amends New Mexico's Safe Haven for Infants Act to allow parents or their designees to leave newborns (under 90 days old) in approved infant safety devices at hospitals, fire stations, or law enforcement facilities without facing criminal charges for abandonment. The bill requires these devices to be conspicuously marked, securely attached to safe haven sites, and not labeled unsafe, while also adding confidentiality protections for relinquishment details with civil penalties for unauthorized disclosure. Safe haven sites must accept infants without requiring parental information but may offer adoption resources and must notify child welfare authorities after accepting an infant. This directly affects parents seeking safe relinquishment options, safe haven sites (like hospitals), and child welfare agencies managing the process.
HB 476, the "Price Fixing Prohibition, Consumer Transparency and Tax Fairness Act," prohibits major payment card networks (like Visa or Mastercard) and large credit card issuers (with over $85 billion in assets) from colluding to set interchange fees - the fees merchants pay for processing card transactions. It bans charging these fees on taxes and gratuities, requires clear disclosure of interchange fees on consumer statements, and prohibits networks from penalizing merchants for how they price goods. The bill directly affects large financial networks, merchants (especially restaurants and retailers), and consumers by increasing transparency and preventing unfair fee structures. It creates penalties for violations but does not apply to smaller card networks or issuers.
SB 434 requires New Mexico public schools to identify students with math or reading deficiencies based on statewide assessment scores in the lowest proficiency level. Schools must notify parents within 30 days of identification and provide individualized accelerated instruction - delivered by trained staff at least three times weekly in 30-minute sessions - within 30 days of identification. The bill mandates high-quality, aligned materials and requires schools to share detailed instruction plans and biweekly progress reports with parents. This directly affects students in New Mexico public schools scoring below proficiency in math or reading, focusing on targeted academic support.
SB 344 allocates $2 million from the state general fund to New Mexico's Public Education Department for vision and hearing screenings for all kindergarten through fourth-grade public school students. The funding is designated for fiscal year 2026, requiring the department to use the funds for these screenings within that timeframe. Any unspent balance at the end of fiscal year 2026 must revert to the general fund. This bill directly affects K-4 students in New Mexico public schools by providing a dedicated funding source for these health screenings.
HB 380, the "Women's Safety and Protection Act," proposes requiring single-sex spaces in domestic violence shelters, public schools, and juvenile detention facilities to protect privacy and safety. It mandates that these facilities designate separate sleeping quarters and restrooms for males and females, while allowing reasonable accommodations like single-occupancy rooms for individuals who cannot use sex-designated spaces. The bill explicitly prohibits access to opposite-sex spaces when people of that sex are present, with exceptions for emergencies, medical aid, or ADA accommodations. The legislation remains pending after being postponed indefinitely in June 2025.
HB 326 creates a $5,000 state income tax credit for small businesses in New Mexico that suffered significant revenue losses due to a governor-declared disaster. To qualify, businesses must have operated for two years, experienced at least a 30% drop in gross revenue from the disaster, and have under $2 million in annual revenue. Businesses must apply for certification through the Economic Development Department, which verifies eligibility before the credit can be claimed. The credit reduces tax liability directly, with any excess refunded, and applies to taxable years starting January 1, 2025.
HB 97 would increase New Mexico's minimum auto insurance requirements for uninsured and underinsured motorists, raising bodily injury coverage from $25,000/$50,000 per accident to $50,000/$100,000 per accident, while keeping property damage coverage at $10,000. The bill mandates that all auto insurance policies sold in New Mexico must include this coverage by default, with drivers able to opt out in writing. It also clarifies that "underinsured" applies when another driver's coverage is less than the insured's uninsured motorist limits. The bill would take effect January 1, 2026, but was postponed indefinitely in June 2025 and remains pending.
HB 614, introduced by Rep. Christine Chandler in New Mexico's 2025 legislative session, is a procedural bill with no substantive policy language provided in the available context. The bill's title references public peace, health, safety, and welfare, but no specific provisions, mechanisms, or affected parties are described in the submitted text. It was referred to the House Rules and Order of Business Committee but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, with no further action recorded. Without additional bill text or summary details, concrete policy changes cannot be identified.
This bill allocates $100,000 from the state general fund to the Commission on the Status of Women for fiscal year 2026. The funds are specifically designated to support the commission's operations through contractor assistance, additional office space, and an agency database. Any unspent portion of the appropriation must revert to the general fund by the end of fiscal year 2026.
SB 409 would establish the second Monday in February as a new public holiday called "Football Monday" in New Mexico, replacing the existing designation for President's Day. This change would directly affect state government operations and public employees, who typically have the day off on legal holidays. The bill amends New Mexico's legal holiday statute to add "Football Monday" as a new designated holiday while removing the previous reference to "Washington's and Lincoln's birthday." The bill was introduced in the 2025 legislative session but was postponed indefinitely by the Senate on June 3, 2025.
