New Mexico Bills

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 245: CHARTER SCHOOLS AS BOARDS OF FINANCE

SB 245 requires all New Mexico charter schools to operate as separate "boards of finance" for managing public funds, directly affecting charter schools and their governing bodies. The bill mandates that charter schools must demonstrate trained financial staff, proper bonding for fund handlers, and consultation with state authorities on fiscal matters to qualify as a board of finance. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to charter denial, nonrenewal, or revocation. Locally chartered schools must comply by July 1, 2026, and all charter schools must maintain this status during operation. The bill separates charter school audits from their chartering authorities while requiring these audits to be included in the authority’s overall audit.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 50: PENALTIES FOR VEHICLE THEFTS

HB 50 consolidates sentencing for multiple vehicle theft offenses in New Mexico. It specifies that repeated violations of any vehicle theft-related crime - including unlawful taking, embezzlement, fraudulent obtaining, or receiving stolen vehicles - will count toward sentencing severity. Under the bill, a third offense (regardless of which specific violation occurred first) would be treated as a second-degree felony, increasing penalties for repeat offenders. This directly affects individuals convicted of multiple vehicle theft-related crimes, making sentencing more severe for repeat violations.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 558: NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN SCHOOLS

HB 558 prohibits publicly funded schools in New Mexico from using or distributing "sexually explicit material" as defined in the bill. It directly affects public school employees, contractors, and volunteers, who may face termination, license denial, or loss of school access for violations. The bill defines "sexually explicit material" to exclude medically accurate, age-appropriate sexual education content meeting state standards, and requires school districts to enforce prohibitions with $500 fines per violation. Enforcement mechanisms include termination for unlicensed staff, license sanctions for licensed staff, and revoked access for contractors/volunteers. The bill amends existing law to remove school-related exemptions for offenses related to minors.

Topics ✗ Education

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 94: STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CERTAIN SEX CRIMES

SB 94 extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting certain sex crimes against minors in New Mexico. It modifies the law to allow criminal prosecution for crimes against minors until the victim turns 35, with exceptions for violent first-degree felonies. The bill also adds a provision that pauses the statute of limitations clock until the victim turns 18 or reports the crime to police, whichever occurs first. This change directly affects victims of sexual offenses under specific New Mexico statutes (Sections 30-6-1, 30-9-11, and 30-9-13) and their ability to seek prosecution years after the crime occurred.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 131: ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE RULES

SB 131 prohibits the state board from adopting rules requiring vehicle manufacturers to produce or deliver a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles for sale. It directly affects automakers and the state environmental agency by blocking a specific regulatory mandate that was part of earlier clean transportation legislation. The bill amends Section 74-1-18 to explicitly state the board "shall not adopt or continue in effect a rule that requires a manufacturer to produce or deliver for sale a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles." The bill was introduced in 2025 but was postponed indefinitely by the Senate committees on June 3, 2025.

Topics ✗ Energy ✗ Environment ✗ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 75: COUNTY & TRIBAL HEALTH COUNCILS FUNDING

HB 75 appropriates $43 million from the general fund to the New Mexico Department of Health for fiscal year 2026, directly funding all county and tribal health councils statewide. The bill specifies that funds must cover staff salaries, expanding health services, coordinating with state health agencies and Medicaid/Medicare providers, community outreach, public health initiatives, and operational costs like office expenses. An additional $1 million is allocated for a nonprofit to provide training and technical assistance to these councils. The funding is intended to support the councils' existing roles under the County and Tribal Health Councils Act, with unspent balances reverting to the general fund by year-end.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 55: INSURANCE PAYMENT OF DEPRECIATION

SB 55 would require New Mexico residential property insurance policies to cover the full cost to repair or replace damaged property without reducing payments for depreciation. This directly affects homeowners, ensuring they receive 100% of the replacement cost (not the depreciated value) after a claim, with reasonable overhead allowed if they self-repair. The bill mandates insurers pay the full replacement cost upon completion of repairs, rather than a reduced amount based on the property's age or wear.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HM 63: STUDY NUCLEAR ENERGY COMMISSION

House Memorial 63 requests New Mexico's Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to study creating a nuclear energy commission and related topics. The study would examine repurposing decommissioned power plant sites, reactor safety (including small modular reactors), carbon capture policies, industrial uses of carbon dioxide, and county-level microgrid development. This non-binding resolution, introduced in 2025 and postponed indefinitely by the House committee, does not create new laws but directs state officials to assess nuclear energy's role in the state's renewable energy transition. The study aims to inform future policy decisions affecting New Mexico's energy infrastructure and climate goals.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 582: STATEWIDE CONSTRUCTION TEMPLATES

HB 582 requires New Mexico's Construction Industries Division to create standardized statewide templates and procedures for construction permit applications, affecting builders, developers, and local building departments. Key provisions include mandating electronic submission, setting specific decision timelines (30 days for residential, 90 for multi-unit projects), and automatically approving permits if decisions aren't issued on time. The bill also limits local zoning authority for certain developments like accessory dwelling units and requires all jurisdictions to adopt the division's templates. These changes aim to streamline permitting processes across the state while ensuring consistent, transparent procedures for all construction projects requiring permits.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 44: PROTECT OF MINORS FROM HARMFUL MATERIAL

HB 44, the "Protection of Minors from Distribution of Harmful Material Act," requires commercial websites with over one-third of content deemed harmful to minors to verify users are at least 18 years old before access. It mandates using government ID or NIST-level 2 age verification methods and prohibits retaining personal data after verification. The law holds commercial entities liable for damages if they fail to verify ages, allow minors access, or retain identifying information, but excludes news organizations, public interest broadcasts, and internet service providers. This bill directly affects commercial websites hosting content meeting specific definitions of harmful material for minors, while preserving journalistic protections.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 114: BAN DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

This bill bans discriminatory language in property deeds and documents, such as rules that restrict who can buy or live in a home based on race, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics. It directly affects property sellers, buyers, and county clerks who record deeds. The law requires removing such discriminatory terms before any property transfer can be recorded, and mandates updating existing documents with these clauses. It declares these restrictions void under New Mexico law, aligning with existing anti-discrimination protections for housing.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 382: GOLD & SILVER BULLION SALE GROSS RECEIPTS

SB 382 would allow businesses selling qualifying gold or silver bullion to deduct those sales from their gross receipts tax. The bill defines "bullion" as refined gold or silver (including bars and ingots) based on mass and purity, excluding jewelry, art, or collectibles. Taxpayers must report the deduction separately, and the deduction will be counted as a tax expenditure in the state budget. The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

Bill results