SB 494 appropriates $150,000 from the government results and opportunity program fund to the New Mexico Public Education Department. The funds will contract a national organization to provide defibrillator training for school staff in rural districts, helping them respond to heart emergencies. This training focuses on using defibrillators during cardiac events, targeting educational personnel in rural schools. Unspent funds by fiscal year 2026 must revert to the original fund.
SB 299 requires New Mexico's Secretary of State to send written notice to county commissioners in a legislative district within 15 days when a state representative or senator's seat becomes vacant. This bill directly affects county commissioners, ensuring they are promptly informed about vacancies in their district's legislative office. It amends existing law to establish this notification process, replacing the previous requirement for the Secretary to notify only the affected legislative office. The bill is procedural and does not alter substantive policy or create new obligations beyond this administrative notification.
HB 469 restructures the composition of New Mexico's Border Authority, expanding it from seven to nine members with specific representation requirements. The new structure includes two state department secretaries, three private-sector members with defined professional backgrounds (e.g., accounting, logistics, or economic development), and representatives from municipalities/counties near ports of entry. It also establishes professional qualification standards for the Executive Director position and amends definitions related to border development projects. The bill directly affects how the Border Authority governs infrastructure projects at ports of entry, including transportation systems, commercial facilities, and utility infrastructure.
SB 502 creates a new "speech-language pathology assistant" license in New Mexico, replacing the existing "apprentice" license. The bill directly affects current apprentices and future assistants by establishing clear qualifications and supervision requirements for their role. Key provisions define "speech-language pathology assistant" and specify that assistants must work under the direct supervision of licensed speech-language pathologists. The bill also repeals outdated sections of law related to the apprentice license and updates terminology for clarity.
SB 359 establishes a new process for New Mexico property owners to remove unlawful occupants (trespassers) from residential properties. Property owners or their agents must submit a verified complaint form to the sheriff detailing specific conditions, such as the occupant entering without permission and not being a tenant or family member. The sheriff verifies the complaint, serves a notice to vacate (via hand delivery or posting), and may assist in removal, after which the owner can change locks and remove belongings (with a fee for law enforcement standby). The bill also creates a legal cause of action for individuals wrongfully removed and amends criminal damage to property laws.
HB 436 requires that during emergencies, government orders closing businesses must also exempt federally tax-exempt religious facilities (like churches) on the same terms as the most permissive exemption given to other businesses. It applies to closures issued under New Mexico’s emergency management laws, including the All Hazards Emergency Management Act. The bill mandates that all such orders must explicitly include these religious exemptions, preventing their exclusion during public health or disaster closures. This ensures religious organizations operating as places of worship receive equal treatment in emergency restrictions.
HB 504 amends New Mexico tax law to exclude gross receipts from prime contractors operating specific facilities from certain manufacturing-related tax deductions. It directly affects national laboratories designated by Congress and state-owned research facilities in New Mexico, preventing them from claiming deductions normally available to manufacturers. The bill adds a new exception to existing tax deduction rules (Sections 7-9-46 and 7-9-46.1), specifying that receipts from these facilities cannot be deducted as they would be for other manufacturers. This change aims to align tax treatment for federal and state research entities with standard manufacturing deduction rules. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.
HB 147 creates a new judgeship in New Mexico's Second Judicial District, increasing the number of district judges from thirty to thirty-one. The bill appropriates $306,800 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to cover the new judge's salary, benefits, and related court costs, with unused funds reverting to the general fund. This change directly affects the Second Judicial District court operations by adding one judicial position to address caseload demands. The bill passed committee but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.
HB 46 modifies New Mexico's Hospital Equipment Loan Act to clarify tax exemptions for health-related equipment. It removes real property from the definition of "health-related equipment" and specifies that real property first purchased before July 1, 2025, but later refinanced or repurchased on or after that date, will lose its property tax exemption. This change directly affects hospitals and health facilities that use bonds issued under the Hospital Equipment Loan Act to finance equipment or real property. The bill ensures tax exemption only applies to equipment not involving real property, with the policy change taking effect July 1, 2025.
HB 349 requires New Mexico's Department of Health to develop a comprehensive database tracking all health care spending by October 2025. The database must collect data on payments from all sources - including private insurers, public programs, prescription drugs, insurance premiums, and nonmedical costs like rural transportation - across all health care providers. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the state general fund to fund this effort over two fiscal years, with unused funds reverting to the general fund. This is a data-collection measure, not a direct policy change affecting residents or providers.
SB 428, the Crossover Youth Act, creates a dedicated program to support children simultaneously involved in New Mexico's child welfare and juvenile justice systems (termed "crossover youth"). It requires the state department to appoint a program coordinator to foster collaboration between child welfare and juvenile justice divisions, mandate annual training for all relevant staff (including judges, attorneys, and social workers) on trauma, cultural humility, and system coordination, and establish protocols for joint case management. The bill also guarantees basic visitation rights for siblings and parents of affected youth, unless safety concerns arise. This legislation directly impacts youth navigating both systems, their families, and state agencies responsible for their care.
SB 361 requires New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to hire an independent auditor through a competitive process to assess the department’s program effectiveness, mission alignment, and operational practices. The audit must evaluate program efficiency, policy relevance, staff adherence to procedures, data management, and human resources, with results delivered via three annual audits and six-month reviews of identified issues. CYFD must submit annual reports to the governor and relevant legislative committees, excluding confidential client information. This bill directly affects CYFD’s internal operations and accountability, mandating a structured, independent review of its service delivery.
