New Mexico Bills

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 363: DECENTRALIZED UNINCORPORATED NONPROFIT ACT

HB 363 creates a new legal structure called a "decentralized unincorporated nonprofit association" in New Mexico, enabling groups to operate without traditional corporate oversight. It allows associations with at least two members to form under a written agreement, use blockchain and smart contracts for governance (like voting), and hold property for members' benefit - while prohibiting profit distribution to members. The bill requires filing formation documents with the Secretary of State and specifies that members' interests cannot be transferred or seized upon death or membership termination. This directly affects nonprofits seeking to leverage digital tools for decentralized decision-making while maintaining nonprofit status.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 4: CRIMINAL COMPETENCY & TREATMENT

HB 4 updates New Mexico's criminal competency laws to better connect defendants found incompetent to stand trial with mental health treatment. It requires competency evaluation reports to include a professional's opinion on whether a defendant qualifies for involuntary commitment or assisted outpatient treatment, and mandates courts to consider community-based restoration programs for non-dangerous defendants. The bill expands the list of serious crimes that can trigger involuntary treatment decisions (like firearm offenses or child abuse) and allows courts to advise prosecutors to initiate mental health proceedings after dismissing a criminal case. These changes directly affect defendants in criminal cases determined incompetent, aiming to streamline access to treatment while maintaining judicial oversight.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 256: SCHOOL TEACHERS ON-SITE PROTECTION ACT

SB 256, the "School Teachers On-Site Protection Act," would require New Mexico's Department of Public Safety to create a training program enabling school employees (like teachers and staff) who already hold concealed handgun permits to carry firearms on school grounds. To qualify, participants must complete 40 hours of training covering active shooter response, legal use of force, and handgun proficiency, pass a psychological evaluation, and be appointed by a school administrator. The bill establishes a license for these "appointed school employees," with renewal requiring refresher training and re-evaluation every two years. The bill is currently pending, having been postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 68: ONE-TO-ONE APPRENTICE TO JOURNEYMAN RATIOS

HB 68 requires a one-to-one ratio of apprentices to journeyman supervisors in New Mexico's construction industry trades. It mandates that each apprentice must be directly supervised by a certified journeyman holding the relevant trade certification, as recognized by the state's licensing department. The bill amends existing law to explicitly limit the apprentice-to-journeyman ratio to 1:1 for building and construction trades, ensuring individualized supervision. This directly affects construction apprentices and their certified supervisors within registered trade programs. The law would take effect July 1, 2025, if enacted.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 460: FILM LOANS TO CERTAIN PROJECTS

SB 460 would allow the state to provide loans from its severance tax fund to "independent New Mexico film projects" at 0% to market interest rates. These projects must be filmed wholly in New Mexico, employ a majority of New Mexico residents on crew, have a distribution contract, and meet specific funding or guarantee requirements (like a completion bond or third-party guarantee). The bill defines "independent" as excluding major studios, networks, or streaming services, and sets a $15 million cap per project. The bill was referred to committees and postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, so it has not become law.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 511: AUDIT ACT CHANGES

SB 511 restructures New Mexico's audit requirements by adjusting revenue thresholds for local public bodies. It raises the annual revenue exemption from $50,000 to $100,000 for entities like small towns and water associations, while creating tiered audit rules for those above $10,000 in revenue (e.g., $50,000-$250,000 requires simplified reports, $250,000+ needs full financial compilations). The bill also mandates a statewide federal single audit starting in 2028 to comply with federal requirements. These changes directly affect counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts that receive public funds.

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 509: PATHWAY ACT FOR FOSTER CHILDREN

SB 509, the PATHWAY ACT FOR FOSTER CHILDREN, provides eligible New Mexico foster youth with a one-time, non-guaranteed $2,000 payment to cover housing, education, or workforce training costs. To qualify, youth must have spent at least 18 cumulative months in foster care, turn 18 on or after January 1, 2026, and complete a financial literacy course. The bill creates a dedicated fund (initially $4 million) managed by the Department of Finance and Administration, exempts the funds from state income tax, and requires automatic enrollment coordination with the Children, Youth and Families Department. The program begins January 1, 2026, but does not create a guaranteed benefit or property interest.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Housing

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 184: REMOVE SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME TAX CAP

SB 184 would remove income limits that currently restrict which New Mexico residents can exclude Social Security income from state income tax. The bill amends Section 7-2-5.14 of New Mexico's tax code to eliminate the $75,000 (single filers), $100,000 (single), and $150,000 (joint filers) income caps, allowing all Social Security recipients to fully exclude their benefits from state taxation. This change directly affects New Mexico residents receiving Social Security benefits, regardless of their total income level. The policy would take effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2025, if enacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 447: LEGISLATIVE PARKING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS

SB 447 requires the New Mexico legislature to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in its own parking facility. By December 31, 2026, at least 43% of parking spaces in the underground garage beneath the legislature building must have EV charging stations. The bill defines an electric vehicle as one powered by a rechargeable battery and specifies that an EV charging station transfers electricity from an external source to the vehicle. This requirement directly applies only to the legislature’s parking operations and does not extend to other state buildings or public infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 422: TEACHING RESIDENT STIPENDS

HB 422 would increase stipends for teaching residents in New Mexico's teacher residency programs to at least $35,000 annually (80% of a level 1 teacher's minimum salary) and require health insurance coverage through the public school insurance authority. It also provides $2,000 annual stipends for mentor teachers, principals, and program coordinators, plus $4,000 per faculty member at participating colleges for co-teaching training. The bill mandates a three-year service commitment for teaching residents at their sponsoring school district and allocates funding for institutional costs. This proposed legislation aims to strengthen residency programs by improving financial support for participants and educators, though it was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 314: REMOVAL OF MOTOR VEHICLE HAZARDS

HB 314 allows law enforcement officers and New Mexico Department of Transportation employees to move vehicles, cargo, or debris that create immediate road safety hazards. It specifically permits clearing obstructions blocking traffic when such hazards endanger public safety, such as stalled vehicles in travel lanes. Officials acting under this law are protected from liability for damage to the moved items. The bill modifies existing traffic regulations (Section 66-3-852 NMSA) to clarify this authority, focusing on urgent safety risks rather than routine parking violations. It does not alter standard parking rules or affect drivers' responsibilities for non-hazardous stops.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 467: MULTICULTURAL STUDENT SAFETY & SUPPORT

HB 467 requires New Mexico public schools to update discipline policies to prohibit unequal treatment based on race, religion, cultural expression (including protective hairstyles and religious headwear), disability, or home language. It mandates schools to provide an online portal for reporting racially motivated incidents (with privacy protections), ban corporal punishment, and allow students to self-administer prescribed asthma/anaphylaxis medication under specific conditions. The bill also revises bilingual education program requirements to prioritize home language use in instruction, require culturally specific teacher training, and establish parent advisory committees. These changes directly affect all public K-12 schools and students in New Mexico, aiming to create safer, more inclusive learning environments.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

Bill results