HB 17 creates a 9-member commission to study factors driving high grocery costs in New Mexico, focusing on essential items like milk, eggs, produce, and bread. The commission must evaluate supply chains, price gouging laws, local food production support, and federal trade impacts, then submit specific recommendations by November 15, 2025. It is funded with $400,000 from the general fund to conduct this study, with members required to represent diverse backgrounds and expertise. The bill does not enact new laws but mandates a report to guide future policy.
SB 222 shifts oversight of caregiver background checks from the New Mexico Department of Health to the Health Care Authority. It expands the list of disqualifying felony convictions to include sex trafficking, cruelty to animals, and specific offenses like child abuse, elder abuse, and assault on peace officers. The bill also grants the Health Care Authority power to add more disqualifying crimes through rules and requires care providers to submit fingerprints for nationwide criminal history checks before hiring. All background check results remain confidential, with limited disclosure only for employment decisions and specific appeals processes. This directly affects caregivers, care providers (like hospitals and facilities), and the agencies managing these checks.
HB 410, the Consumer Information and Data Protection Act, would require businesses collecting personal data from New Mexico residents to obtain clear, affirmative consent (banning deceptive "dark patterns" like confusing website designs) and implement stronger protections for sensitive data, including health information, biometric data, and precise location tracking. It defines key terms like "personal data" (information linked to an identifiable person) and establishes rules for data processing, storage, and sharing, with specific safeguards for minors and health data. The bill creates civil penalties for violations and outlines investigative authority for enforcement, while exempting entities already covered under federal HIPAA health privacy rules. It directly affects businesses operating in New Mexico that handle consumer data, including online services and apps collecting location or health information. The bill was postponed indefinitely in June 2025 and has not become law.
Based solely on the provided context, SB 522 has no substantive bill text or policy details included. The bill's title ("PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE") is broad but uninformative without specific provisions. It was introduced by Senator Peter Wirth in New Mexico's 2025 legislative session but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, after not being printed by the Senate Finance Committee. No concrete policy changes, affected groups, or mechanisms are described in the available information.
HB 313, the Digital Age Verification Act, requires device manufacturers, operating systems, and app stores to implement age verification for users. Specifically, it mandates that covered companies estimate a user's age during device setup, provide real-time age data to apps via API (categorizing users as under 13, 13-15, 16-17, or 18+), and obtain parental consent for app downloads by users under 16. The law applies to devices sold after January 1, 2026, with existing devices needing updates by April 2026. Violations would be enforced as unfair trade practices under New Mexico's consumer protection law.
HB 324 would create a new program in New Mexico allowing school tuition organizations to provide scholarships to low-income students for private school attendance, while offering tax credits to donors. It directly affects eligible low-income students (defined as those meeting federal lunch program income thresholds and previously attending public or home schools), private schools in New Mexico, and nonprofit organizations administering the scholarships. Key provisions include requiring organizations to allocate at least 90% of donations to scholarships, prohibiting donor-designated students, mandating annual public reporting of scholarship details, and establishing individual and corporate income tax credits for contributing to these programs. The bill also sets strict audit requirements for larger organizations and defines "eligible students" to maintain eligibility through graduation or age 21.
SB 295 creates tax deductions for healthcare providers on specific income streams. It allows deductions for sales of medical equipment/supplies/drugs, payments from patients for services not provided through insurance plans (like direct billing), and out-of-pocket patient payments (copayments/deductibles) excluding Medicaid services. The bill also removes an expiration date for existing copayment/deductible deductions and requires the state to reimburse healthcare providers for taxes paid on Medicaid reimbursements. These changes directly affect doctors, clinics, and other healthcare practitioners who bill patients or insurers, reducing their taxable income for qualifying services.
HB 478 revises New Mexico's rules for transferring certain liquor licenses, specifically allowing dispenser's and retailer's licenses issued before July 1, 1981, to move between locations across the state (with exceptions for some class B counties and municipalities that have already banned transfers). The bill limits transfers to no more than ten licenses per local option district annually and requires that transferred licenses count toward future license caps in that district. It also establishes a community veto process: if 5% of registered voters petition for an election, a vote can block statewide transfers for two years if rejected. This directly affects businesses seeking to relocate licenses and local governments that can regulate license density through voter referendums.
HB 466, the "Hormone Therapy and Puberty Blocker Child Protection Act," prohibits health care providers and public bodies from knowingly performing or administering hormone therapy or puberty blockers to minors for the purpose of helping them live as a gender different from their sex assigned at birth, except for treating congenital defects, precocious puberty, or existing medical conditions ending by December 2025. The bill requires health care providers to notify parents in writing before a minor receives gender-affirming care, defines "gender-affirming action" broadly to include name/pronoun changes or seeking related services, and overrides minors' ability to consent to such care. It also creates a private right of action for parents to sue providers or public bodies for violations. The bill was referred to committees in February 2025 but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.
SB 429, the "Reinstatement of Parental Rights Act," allows parents whose rights were legally terminated (or relinquished) to petition courts to regain custody of their children. It requires petitioners to prove a material change in circumstances that enables safe parenting, show the child’s best interest, and meet a 12-month waiting period (with exceptions for minors nearing 18 or extraordinary cases). The bill mandates specific documentation, including child consent (if 10+), a transition plan to return the child to the parent within 90 days, and adoptive parent/guardian consent unless their rights are first terminated. It directly affects former parents, children in foster care or adoption, and child welfare agencies by establishing new court procedures for reinstatement petitions.
SB 378 amends New Mexico's Liquor Excise Tax Act to increase tax rates on alcoholic beverages sold in the state. It raises standard beer tax from $0.41 to $0.49 per gallon, wine from $0.45 to $0.54 per liter, and spirits from $1.60 to $1.92 per liter. The bill maintains tiered rates for microbrewers (e.g., $0.08/gallon for first 30,000 barrels) and small winegrowers (e.g., $0.10/liter for first 80,000 liters), while adjusting craft distiller rates based on alcohol content. These changes apply to wholesalers and producers starting July 1, 2025, and clarify tax liability during wine transfers between producers and distributors.
HJR 8 is a constitutional amendment proposal that would change how New Mexico's legislature operates. It would limit all regular legislative sessions to 45 days (down from 60 days for odd-year sessions) and remove restrictions preventing consideration of non-budget bills during even-numbered years. The amendment also adds a provision for considering governor veto overrides for bills from previous sessions within the same legislative biennium. As a constitutional proposal, it requires voter approval at the next general election and is currently stalled after being postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.
