New Mexico Bills

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 247: HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER TRANSPARENCY ACT

HB 247, the Health Care Practitioner Transparency Act, requires all licensed health care practitioners in New Mexico (including nurses, therapists, dentists, and others) to clearly disclose their credentials during patient interactions. It mandates visible identifiers showing the practitioner's name and license type, prohibits misleading titles (like "Doctor" for non-physicians without clarification), and sets advertising rules requiring license details in public communications. The law exempts sterile environments (e.g., operating rooms) and mental health settings where identifiers might disrupt care. It applies to practitioners in clinics, hospitals, and facilities but does not create private legal claims for violations.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 180: SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY LICENSE

HB 180 creates a new "Speech-Language Pathology Assistant" license to replace the current "Apprentice" license. It repeals outdated sections of law (61-14B-3.1 and 61-14B-15.1) that governed the old apprentice system. The bill defines supervision requirements, including "direct contact" for assistants working under licensed speech-language pathologists. This change clarifies the role for assistants while maintaining patient safety through defined supervision standards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 98: PROHIBIT CERTAIN SOLAR COVENANTS

SB 98 prohibits restrictive clauses in property deeds, contracts, or agreements (effective after 1978) that increase solar panel installation costs by more than 10% or $1,500, or reduce panel efficiency by more than 10%. Such restrictions are now void and unenforceable, and the prevailing party in enforcement lawsuits may recover attorney fees. The bill directly affects homeowners, property owners, and solar installers by removing barriers to solar adoption. It aims to lower costs and maintain efficiency for solar energy systems without advocating for specific outcomes.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 210: VACANT RURAL BUILDING ACT

HB 210, the Vacant Rural Building Act, allows small businesses (employing 50 or fewer full-time employees) to occupy vacant commercial buildings in rural municipalities (populations ≤50,000) without full compliance with standard building codes. It requires rural municipalities or the state construction commission to adopt rules by January 2026 that permit variances only for safety-critical issues, excluding non-essential compliance costs. The bill mandates that property owners or businesses must address only life-safety hazards identified by code officials, not all building code requirements. This aims to reduce renovation costs for small businesses while maintaining public safety standards, using historic building code standards as a model. The act directly affects rural municipalities, small business owners, and property owners of vacant commercial buildings.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 187: STATE TRUST PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN

HB 187 requires state agencies receiving funding from New Mexico's Government Results and Opportunity Expendable Trust to submit annual accountability and evaluation plans. These plans must detail program goals, evidence-based practices, performance metrics, evaluation methods, and public reporting schedules. Agencies must submit the plans by July 1 each year (and revised versions by September 1 if requested), with the Budget Division and Legislative Finance Committee reviewing final evaluations by July 15 to inform future budget decisions. This bill directly affects state agencies managing trust-funded programs and aims to standardize how their effectiveness is measured and reported.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 110: LOCAL JOURNALIST EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT

SB 110 creates a tax credit for New Mexico local news organizations and their owners, providing a 30% credit on wages paid to eligible journalists (up to $50,000 per journalist annually). To qualify, journalists must work at least 25% of the year for the organization, reside within 50 miles of their coverage area, and gather news on state or local matters. Local news organizations must meet specific criteria, including publishing regular local content and having a majority of their audience in New Mexico. The total annual credit amount is capped at $4 million, and the credit applies to taxable years before 2030.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 495: SERVICE PROVIDER LIEN RESTRICTIONS

HB 495 restricts how medical service providers (like hospitals) can claim liens on personal injury settlement payments. It requires providers to send certified mail notices detailing their lien to the liable party and their insurance carrier *before* paying the patient, and makes liable parties responsible for paying the lien if they don't. The bill also limits providers' interest in settlements to only the lien amount, requiring them to release the lien upon payment. This directly affects patients receiving injury settlements, medical providers seeking payment, and liable parties (like drivers or insurers). The bill was postponed indefinitely in June 2025 and did not become law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SM 8: STUDY DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION REQUESTS

Senate Memorial 8 requests the State Auditor to convene a work group to study the causes of increasing state agency "deficiency appropriation requests" (funds requested mid-year to cover budget shortfalls). The bill cites a $137.5 million rise in these requests from 2014-2024, noting issues like inadequate justifications, bypassed processes, and root causes including over-expenditures and hidden deficits. The work group would examine the State Auditor’s recommendations to improve transparency, strengthen audit procedures, clarify budget laws, and modernize oversight - focusing on better accountability and preventing future shortfalls. This study aims to inform potential legislative reforms, not directly change current laws.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 210: MAX PENALTY FOR WATER LAW VIOLATION

SB 210 increases penalties for violating New Mexico's water laws, raising the maximum daily civil fine from $100 to $2,000 for most violations (and to $10,000 per day for groundwater violations involving illegal recovery or use). It directly affects water users, including agricultural and municipal entities, who breach water rights or permits. Key mechanisms include requiring repayment of overdiverted water (up to double the amount) as a preferred remedy before fines, and mandating annual inflation adjustments to penalty amounts starting July 2027 using the U.S. Consumer Price Index. The bill amends Sections 72-2-18 and 72-5A-12 of the New Mexico Statutes to implement these changes.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 451: MINIMUM BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS

SB 451 requires New Mexico's building codes to align with the most recent International Building Code (IBC) revision within 24 months of its release, unless the electrical, mechanical, or general construction bureau recommends an exception. This directly affects construction contractors, inspectors, and state building code enforcement by mandating faster adoption of nationally recognized safety standards. The bill sets a clear timeline for code updates to promote public safety, uniformity, and consistency across the state's construction industry. However, the bill's progress was postponed indefinitely as of June 3, 2025, and would have taken effect on July 1, 2025, if passed.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 576: MUSEUM & PARK ADMISSION FOR ADOPTED CHILDREN

HB 576 would update New Mexico law to extend free admission to state museums and parks, camping passes, and fishing licenses to adopted children under 18, alongside existing eligibility for foster children and others. It requires proof of residency, identity, and adoption status through specific state departments (cultural affairs, natural resources, or game commission). The bill, introduced by Rep. Stefani Lord, would take effect July 1, 2025, if enacted. However, it was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, and is currently inactive. This policy change directly affects adopted children and their families seeking access to state recreational and cultural resources.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 452: CLARIFY RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS

HB 452 clarifies how New Mexico utilities must handle renewable energy certificates (RECs) to meet the state's renewable energy standards. It specifies that utilities own RECs from most renewable energy they purchase, except for pre-July 2019 contracts or community solar projects (where the utility owns the RECs). The bill requires new contracts (after July 1, 2019) to transfer RECs to the utility, which must retire them or transfer them to customers under a voluntary program, and mandates annual reporting on REC usage and accounting.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill results