New Mexico Bills

passed · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 58: CHILDCARE FACILITY LICENSING ACT

SB 58, the Child Care Facility Licensing Act, requires child care facilities in New Mexico serving more than four nonresident children to obtain a license from the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. License-exempt facilities (operating in a home setting for four or fewer children) may choose to register with the department instead, allowing them to access federal food programs and child care assistance. The department will inspect facilities, enforce compliance through rules on safety and operations, and can revoke licenses or impose penalties for violations, especially those involving child safety risks. This bill establishes clear licensing requirements, registration options, and enforcement mechanisms to ensure child care facility standards.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HM 33: RESPONSIBLE HIGHER ED SPENDING

House Memorial 33 (HM 33), introduced by Representatives Terrazas, Ramos, Brantley, Jones, and Dow, requests the New Mexico Higher Education Department to study spending practices at all public higher education institutions - including community colleges, universities, tribal colleges, and specialty schools. The study would examine all taxpayer-funded expenditures, procurement policies, and travel policies, including those exempt from standard state procurement and travel codes. This procedural memorial, which was referred to the House Education Committee but later postponed indefinitely, does not create new laws but asks for a review of existing spending mechanisms. It directly affects all 32 public higher education institutions in New Mexico that use state funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 141: GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2025

HB 141, the General Appropriation Act of 2025, is New Mexico’s annual budget bill that allocates funding to state agencies for fiscal year 2026. It establishes rules for managing state funds, including requiring unspent balances from fiscal year 2025 to revert to the general fund by October 1, 2025, and mandating the state budget division to monitor agency revenue and adjust budgets if projections are not met. The bill affects all state agencies by governing how their funding is distributed, tracked, and managed under defined financial terms like "general fund" and "internal service funds." It does not create new programs or alter policy but sets the procedural framework for state spending. The bill was postponed indefinitely by the House Appropriations & Finance Committee on June 3, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 426: MOBILE HOME PARK SALE NOTICES

HB 426 requires mobile home park owners to provide residents with specific written notice before selling the park, including details of any third-party offer and the residents' right to purchase. The bill gives residents 90 days to form a cooperative group (with 51% approval), secure financing within an additional 90 days, and close the purchase within 270 days total - matching the third-party offer's terms. If residents meet these deadlines, the owner must negotiate in good faith and cannot delay or refuse the purchase. The bill also mandates owners to record compliance affidavits and imposes penalties (up to $100,000 or 20% of the park's value) for noncompliance, though it was postponed indefinitely in the Senate in June 2025.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 457: GEOLOGIC CARBON DIOXIDE SEQUESTRATION ACT

This bill creates a regulatory framework for storing carbon dioxide underground in geologic formations (like rock layers or aquifers) to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. It requires companies (called "operators") seeking to store CO2 to form "sequestration units" covering the necessary land and subsurface pore space, with specific processes for acquiring rights from landowners and submitting detailed applications to the Oil Conservation Division. The law applies to new storage projects after its effective date, excludes projects using CO2 for oil recovery, and establishes the division's authority to enforce rules and approve projects based on geologic evidence and landowner notifications.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 518: LGBTQ+ DAY

HB 518 designates the fourth Tuesday of January in each odd-numbered year as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Expansive Day" in New Mexico. The bill requires the people of New Mexico to observe this day through activities that celebrate LGBTQ+ cultural, economic, and historic contributions to the state. It specifically aims to honor LGBTQ+ leaders and achievements while promoting diversity in New Mexico. This is a ceremonial observance without new regulations or funding, directly affecting how the state recognizes LGBTQ+ communities annually.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HM 54: STUDY PUBLIC SCHOOL SAFETY

HM 54 (a House Memorial, not a bill) requests the Legislative Education Study Committee to study whether New Mexico should create a centralized school safety entity. It directs the committee to collaborate with Public Safety, Homeland Security, and Education departments to research school safety needs, potential benefits of a statewide entity, and best practices from other states. The study will examine current safety measures (like anonymous reporting apps and security funding) and assess if a coordinated approach would be more effective than current fragmented efforts. The results would be reported to the Governor and Legislative Council, but the memorial does not allocate funds or create new policies.

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 469: BORDER AUTHORITY & DIRECTOR REQUIREMENTS

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.

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HJM 5: PROTECTIONS FOR UPPER PECOS WATERSHED

House Joint Memorial 5 requests New Mexico's legislature to support federal protections for the Upper Pecos Watershed. It urges federal action to permanently withdraw lands from mining claims and advocates for congressional passage of the Pecos Watershed Protection Act to safeguard water resources, cultural heritage (including ties to Pecos Pueblo and Pueblo of Tesuque), and local economies dependent on agriculture, recreation, and clean water. The memorial emphasizes the watershed's ecological sensitivity and recovery from past mining impacts, without opposing mining generally.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 226: TRUCK TRACTOR MAX SPEED LIMIT

SB 226 establishes a 65 miles per hour maximum speed limit specifically for truck tractors on New Mexico highways. This directly affects commercial truck drivers and operators who operate these vehicles on state roads. The bill amends existing traffic laws to add this speed limit and sets a $250 penalty for violations, which is higher than standard speeding fines for other vehicles. The legislation aims to enhance safety by regulating truck speeds, with the penalty detailed in Section 66-8-116 of the Motor Vehicle Code.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HM 7: "LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY"

This House Memorial (HM 7) declares February 10, 2025, as "Law Enforcement Appreciation Day" within the New Mexico House of Representatives. It directly affects New Mexico's law enforcement agencies, including state police, county sheriffs, municipal police, tribal departments, and tribal law enforcement entities. The bill's key mechanism is a symbolic declaration to honor officers, accompanied by a directive to distribute copies to relevant agencies. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or mandate actions - only recognizing law enforcement service. The bill was referred to committee but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

passed · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 413: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSURE COMPACT

HB 413, the "Physician Assistant Licensure Interstate Compact," allows physician assistants licensed in one participating state to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. It directly affects licensed physician assistants, military families (by enabling active-duty personnel and spouses to practice across states based on a good-standing license), and patients receiving care in different states. The key mechanism establishes mutual recognition of licenses, requiring physician assistants to follow the licensing rules of the state where the patient is located at the time of care. This compact also mandates states to share disciplinary actions and criminal background checks through a centralized data system to maintain patient safety standards. The bill passed the New Mexico House but was postponed indefinitely in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results