HB 219 would create Slot Canyon Riverlands State Park on land in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, using the Broad Canyon ranch study area. The bill requires the state parks division to develop the park by prioritizing recreation, wildlife habitat, trail connections to the Rio Grande trail, and removing invasive salt cedar, while prohibiting the sale or exchange of park land. It appropriates $9 million from the general fund for park development and operations starting in fiscal year 2026, with unspent funds not reverting to the general fund. The bill passed the House and Senate but was vetoed by the governor on April 11, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.
SB 220 requires New Mexico state agencies to publicly post the terms of legal settlement agreements within 30 days on the Sunshine Portal if they settle claims without involving the risk management division. It also establishes "loss prevention review teams" to investigate serious incidents like deaths, serious injuries, or major financial losses exceeding $250,000, which must recommend prevention strategies and submit detailed reports to agency leaders and the risk management director. Agencies must provide these teams with full access to relevant documents and personnel during investigations. Annual reports on these reviews will be submitted to the legislature, aiming to improve transparency and prevent future incidents.
This bill expands New Mexico optometrists' scope of practice to include specific minor in-office procedures, such as removing superficial eyelid lesions, treating corneal abrasions, and performing certain laser treatments for eye conditions. It also requires the Board of Optometry to establish certification standards for optometrists using prescription drugs or laser procedures, including developing qualifications and maintaining annual records of certified practitioners. The board gains new duties, such as administering these certifications, keeping detailed records of licensees, and setting requirements for advanced services. This directly affects optometrists (who gain expanded clinical authority), the Board (which gains administrative responsibilities), and patients (who may access more eye care services from optometrists).
SB 327 creates a "Lowrider Capital of the World" special license plate for vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles in New Mexico, directly affecting vehicle owners who choose to apply for it. Owners pay an initial fee ($50 for cars/trucks/tow trailers, $40 for motorcycles) plus a $20 annual renewal, with fees funding both plate production and cultural programs through the Cultural Affairs Department. The bill includes a sunset provision: starting in 2029, plate issuance for any category will stop if annual demand falls below 50% of 2026-2027 averages. This bill was passed by the House but vetoed on April 11, 2025, and did not become law.
SB 377 would have created a special New Mexico United soccer team license plate, requiring a $50 initial fee and $20 annual renewal on top of standard registration. Revenue would fund plate production ($12 per plate) and tourism promotion ($38 initial/$20 annual). The bill was vetoed on April 11, 2025, so it did not become law. This procedural bill directly affected vehicle owners who chose to purchase the plate, with no substantive policy changes beyond the fee structure and revenue distribution.
HB 269 requires New Mexico's Health Care Authority to implement an open electronic visit verification system for Medicaid home health and personal care services. This system allows providers to choose any compliant electronic tool (meeting federal 21st Century Cures Act standards) while using a central aggregator to collect standardized data - including service type, recipient, date, location, provider, and timing - for federal reporting. It directly affects Medicaid recipients and licensed healthcare providers by mandating specific data collection and privacy protections. The bill was passed by both chambers in March 2025 but vetoed by the governor on April 11, 2025.
HB 191 creates two permanent state funds to improve wildfire management in New Mexico: a Wildfire Suppression Fund for active firefighting costs and a Wildfire Preparedness Fund for prevention and mitigation. The Suppression Fund covers immediate firefighting, equipment, and technology, while the Preparedness Fund supports prevention, prepositioning resources, firefighter training, public education, and equipment maintenance. Both funds are administered by the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, with annual reports required for legislative oversight on spending and future needs. The bill directly affects state wildfire response capabilities and communities vulnerable to wildfires, aiming to provide stable funding for both emergency response and proactive prevention.
HB 450 authorizes New Mexico to issue severance tax bonds (funded by oil/gas taxes) for state capital projects like building construction, equipment purchases, or renovations. It requires agencies to certify fund needs by 2027 and spend 85% of bond proceeds within three years, with unspent funds reverting to the severance tax fund by 2029. The bill prohibits using bond funds for indirect costs and sets strict deadlines to ensure efficient spending, applying to projects such as emergency vehicles, heavy equipment, or educational technology.
HB 14 replaces New Mexico's Working Families Tax Credit with a new Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) mirroring the federal program. It directly affects low-income New Mexico residents who qualify for the federal EITC but may have been excluded due to identification or age requirements (e.g., 18-24 year olds), allowing them to claim the credit. The bill sets credit percentages based on the number of qualifying children (2.3% to 13.5%) and establishes income limits ($8,000-$15,200 earned income) and phaseout thresholds ($25,000-$35,200 adjusted gross income). It includes automatic inflation adjustments starting in 2026 and ensures refunds are not treated as taxable income.
SB 142 requires New Mexico's Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to create a grid modernization roadmap and establish a grant program for projects that upgrade the state's electric grid. The bill adds school districts and charter schools to the list of eligible applicants for grants, alongside municipalities, tribes, utilities, and other entities. Grants prioritize projects that improve grid reliability, security, and efficiency while incorporating new technologies like energy storage, advanced metering, and microgrids. The legislation appropriates $300,000 for administrative costs to support the program and mandates reports tracking funded projects' outcomes.
HB 493, the Public Finance Accountability Act, creates a new "Public Finance Accountability Fund" administered by the state auditor to help grantees meet financial oversight requirements. It requires all grant recipients (including local governments and nonprofits) to provide annual audit records, fix significant financial weaknesses before receiving funds, and follow strict accounting standards. State agencies must use standardized grant agreements, confirm proper disposal of assets, and conduct field audits of projects. The Department of Finance and Administration will enforce these rules, which take effect July 1, 2025.
SB 425 reauthorizes spending periods for existing state capital projects and establishes rules for handling unspent funds. It requires unexpended balances from severance tax bonds and general fund appropriations to revert to specific funds (like tribal infrastructure or the originating fund) after set deadlines, extending some project timelines through fiscal year 2027. The bill redirects specific unspent funds - such as money originally for a Las Vegas water line to purchase vehicles, or funds for a veterans building renovation to improve Veterans Park - while setting clear reversion dates. This procedural bill streamlines fund management without creating new policies or altering agency responsibilities.
