New Mexico Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 24: COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE ATTORNEYS CHANGES

HB 24 transfers administration of the Community Governance Attorney program from the Higher Education Department to the University of New Mexico School of Law. It also allows counties and municipalities with designated colonias, plus state agencies, to directly hire community governance attorneys. The bill modifies the existing tuition waiver program, which provides law students with tuition coverage in exchange for working as community governance attorneys, requiring repayment with interest (18% if not employed in the role, 7% otherwise) over up to 10 years. This changes how the program is managed and expands who can utilize the attorney hiring mechanism.

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 146: EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN

SB 146 corrects an outdated reference to U.S. code in New Mexico’s law regarding the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. This procedural bill updates the state statute to align with the existing interstate agreement but does not create new policies or protections for military children. The compact itself - already in place across multiple states - aims to ease school transitions for military-connected students by standardizing record transfers, course credits, and enrollment rules. New Mexico’s update ensures its law matches the federal reference without altering how military families access educational support.

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 137: STRATEGIC WATER SUPPLY ACT

HB 137 creates the Strategic Water Supply Program to reduce New Mexico's reliance on fresh water by funding projects that reuse treated brackish groundwater (highly salty groundwater) or treated oil/gas "produced water" (a byproduct of drilling). It establishes a dedicated fund financed by a 5-cent fee per barrel on oil/gas produced water, which will support grants and contracts for eligible water reuse projects. To qualify, projects must meet environmental standards, provide financial guarantees, advance economic development goals, and include a community benefits plan detailing public engagement. The program directly affects oil/gas operators (via the fee), state water agencies (DE, EMNRD, State Engineer), and communities where water reuse projects are implemented.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 19: TRADE PORTS DEVELOPMENT ACT

HB 19, the Trade Ports Development Act, creates a framework for developing trade ports in New Mexico to improve cargo movement and supply chain efficiency. It establishes criteria for designating "trade port districts" (requiring proximity to highways, railroads, airports, and economic benefits for disadvantaged communities) and sets standards for approving projects (like cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, and workforce development). The bill authorizes grants and loans from a new state fund, allows public-private partnerships between government and businesses, and directs existing tax revenue (including motor vehicle excise tax distributions) toward these projects. It directly affects local communities, businesses, and state agencies like the Economic Development Department, aiming to boost regional economic growth through infrastructure development.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 221: ADDITIONAL UNFAIR INSURANCE CLAIMS PRACTICE

SB 221 amends New Mexico's insurance code to add a new prohibited practice (item P) targeting insurers. It bans insurers from treating an insured's routine inquiry about damage or loss as a formal claim when: the facts aren't covered by the policy, no payment is made, and the insured isn't being deceptive. This directly affects insurance companies operating in New Mexico by prohibiting this specific practice during initial customer interactions. The bill aims to prevent unnecessary formal claim processes for uncovered incidents, ensuring insurers don't misuse claim procedures for uncovered inquiries.

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 456: ARCHITECT & ENGINEERING SVCS. & CONSTRUCTION

HB 456 increases spending limits for state agencies and local public bodies when contracting for architectural/engineering services and construction projects. It raises the maximum annual spending per contractor from $7.5 million to $15 million over four years for design services, and from $12.5 million to $30 million over ten years for construction. The bill also requires agencies to report contract spending details quarterly to the General Services Department. This change allows for larger, more flexible contracts while maintaining oversight of public spending.

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 290: RAISE MARRIAGE LICENSE FEES

SB 290 raises New Mexico's marriage license fee from $25 to $50 for couples applying for a marriage license. The bill directly affects individuals getting married in New Mexico, increasing the cost they pay to county clerks. The fee distribution changes: $15 goes to the county general fund, $15 funds the state children's trust, and $20 stays with the county clerk. This bill was signed into law on April 9, 2025, and is now effective.

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 295: TAX ON PROPERTY OWNED BY NM RETA

HB 295 exempts specific renewable energy infrastructure owned or leased by the New Mexico Renewable Energy Authority (RETA) from property taxes. It applies to electric transmission lines, interconnected storage facilities, and related infrastructure acquired by RETA under its enabling law. This exemption directly affects RETA (as the property owner) and nonexempt entities leasing these facilities for renewable energy projects. The policy change takes effect for property taxes in 2026 and later, removing a tax burden on qualifying renewable energy infrastructure. The bill does not alter general property tax rules for other properties or entities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · New Mexico · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 89: GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP ACT CHANGES

HB 89 amends New Mexico's Graduate Scholarship Act to expand access for underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and people with disabilities. It changes scholarship funding to cover 100% of tuition and fees (previously a fixed $7,200) and requires recipients to maintain a 3.0 GPA while completing at least six credit hours per semester. Recipients must also complete 10 hours per week of unpaid work (internship or assistantship) at approved institutions or agencies. The bill caps funding at eight semesters or until a terminal degree is earned, directly affecting New Mexico graduate students at eligible state universities.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 120: NO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COST SHARING

SB 120 permanently eliminates copays and coinsurance for behavioral health services in New Mexico. It applies to all group health plans, individual insurance policies, and health maintenance organizations sold in the state that cover mental health, substance abuse, and trauma treatment. The law removes all cost-sharing requirements - including fixed copays, percentage-based coinsurance, and deductibles - for services like therapy, inpatient care, medication (including brand-name drugs when generics aren’t available), and residential treatment. This change affects all health plans offering behavioral health coverage, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for enrollees for these services. The bill amends multiple sections of New Mexico’s Health Care Purchasing Act and Insurance Code to make this elimination permanent, extending beyond the previous 2027 sunset date.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 126: INCREASE RURAL SERVICE FUND ALLOCATIONS

SB 126 increases funding for New Mexico's State Rural Universal Service Fund, raising the annual allocation for broadband programs from $30 million to $40 million (after expenses). It directly affects rural broadband providers and unserved/underserved communities by providing more financial support to deploy and maintain internet access in rural areas. The bill requires recipients of fund support to spend at least 60% of their funds on broadband deployment and maintenance in rural regions, as defined by the state commission. This amendment to existing law aims to expand affordable broadband access without changing how the fund is collected or administered.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

signed · New Mexico · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 92: HORSE RACING & JOCKEY INSURANCE FUND

SB 92 creates a permanent insurance fund to cover costs for jockeys and exercise riders in New Mexico horse racing. The fund, managed by the horse racing commission, is financed through money collected from the commission (to offset insurance expenses) and other sources like investments, donations, and grants. This directly affects jockeys and exercise riders by ensuring their insurance costs are covered under state and federal law, specifically to comply with Section 60-2E-47 NMSA 1978. The bill provides a dedicated funding mechanism to maintain insurance coverage without requiring separate annual appropriations.