Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 45: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT LICENSURE COMPACT

HB 45, the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, would allow physician assistants licensed in one participating state to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. It creates a shared data system for states to track license status and disciplinary actions, and requires that physician assistants follow the laws of the state where the patient is located during care. The bill directly affects physician assistants, particularly military families who can more easily practice across state lines with one license, and state licensing boards that must adopt the compact's standards. If enacted, it would streamline licensure for medical professionals while maintaining patient safety through mutual recognition of licenses.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state PA practice, improving patient access to healthcare services without license barriers, directly advancing healthcare delivery.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 175: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PUNITIVE DAMAGES

SB 175 prohibits courts from awarding punitive damages in medical malpractice cases. The bill directly affects patients who might seek punitive damages and healthcare providers who would no longer face liability for such awards. It amends New Mexico's Medical Malpractice Act to explicitly state that "punitive damages or any other exemplary damages shall not be awarded in a malpractice claim," effective January 1, 2027. This changes the legal standard by removing the possibility of punitive damages in these cases, which were previously permitted under the existing law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill prohibits punitive damages in medical malpractice, reducing patient remedies and benefits. This restricts patient access to full compensation in healthcare liability claims, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.90% confidence

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 81: PRIMARY CARE CAPITAL FUNDING ACT

SB 81 allocates $25 million from the general fund to the New Mexico Finance Authority for primary care capital projects, such as facility construction or equipment upgrades. This funding directly supports primary care facilities (like clinics and community health centers) across New Mexico by providing capital resources. The bill specifies that unspent funds from this allocation will not return to the general fund at year-end, ensuring continued availability for future projects. The appropriation is set for fiscal year 2027 and subsequent years, enabling long-term planning for primary care infrastructure needs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $25M from general fund for primary care capital projects, ensuring unspent funds carry forward. Increases public health service funding and promotes fiscal management for essential facilities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $25M for primary care facility upgrades, directly funding healthcare infrastructure and improving access to services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Primary Care

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 169: UNM DEPT. OF CHICANA & CHICANO STUDIES

HB 169 appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to the University of New Mexico's Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies for two main purposes in fiscal year 2027. It provides year-round scholarships prioritizing New Mexico residents from rural, tribal, indigenous, or underserved communities - especially those planning to offer culturally rooted healing services in the state - and funds statewide outreach including workshops, courses, and collaboration with tribal governments and rural communities. The bill also requires the department to research and develop new curanderismo (traditional medicine) courses to address New Mexico's cultural and health needs. Unspent funds at year-end will revert to the general fund. This bill directly affects UNM students, community health educators, and New Mexico communities through educational and health programming.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $250k from general fund for UNM Chicana/Chicano Studies programs, directly allocating state budget resources to fund educational initiatives and scholarships.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds scholarships and outreach for Chicana/Chicano Studies, prioritizing underserved students, enhancing higher education access and cultural programming.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds scholarships for students to provide culturally rooted healing services in underserved communities, advancing healthcare access through education and provider training.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Higher Education

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 214: CONSUMER INFORMATION AND DATA PROTECTION ACT

HB 214, the Consumer Information and Data Protection Act, creates new rules for businesses handling personal data in New Mexico. It directly affects New Mexico residents ("consumers") by granting them rights to access, correct, or delete their personal data, and requiring businesses to obtain clear, affirmative consent for data processing - prohibiting "dark patterns" that trick users. Key provisions include special protections for children's data, sensitive health information (like reproductive or mental health data), and biometric data, while banning the use of precise location tracking without consent. Businesses must also implement security measures and cannot use de-identified data for re-identification. The bill does not apply to publicly available information or de-identified data.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly provides special protections for sensitive health information, directly supporting patient data privacy within healthcare context.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates consumer data rights, requires explicit consent, bans deceptive 'dark patterns', and adds special protections for health/children's data - directly strengthening data privacy regulations in tech.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 33: RIGHT TO TRY INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENTS ACT

SB 33, the "Right to Try Individualized Treatments Act," allows New Mexico residents with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses (after exhausting all FDA-approved treatments) to access individualized investigational treatments based on their genetic profile. The law requires written informed consent from patients detailing treatment options and risks, and permits manufacturers to provide these treatments without charge or require patient payment. It does not mandate insurance coverage for these treatments, but protects patients' heirs from liability for treatment debts after death and shields healthcare providers from disciplinary action for recommending such treatments. The bill also prohibits state officials from blocking patient access to these treatments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables access to investigational treatments for terminally ill patients after FDA-approved options exhausted, improving patient access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 164: TRANSFER AMBULANCE STANDARDS TO DOH

SB 164 transfers responsibility for regulating ambulance services from New Mexico's Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Department of Health (DOH). The bill moves existing ambulance standards, certification programs, enforcement authority, and related records to DOH, including oversight of ambulance service requirements, tariffs, and safety rules. This change directly affects ambulance providers, local governments operating ambulance services, and emergency medical service programs statewide. The bill does not create new standards but shifts administrative control to DOH while maintaining current regulatory requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareTransfers ambulance regulation to DOH (health department), strengthening healthcare oversight and aligning ambulance standards with health facilities oversight per bill subjects.90% confidence

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 133: HEALTH EQUIPMENT GRT DEDUCTION

SB 133 creates a tax deduction in New Mexico for healthcare practitioners who sell equipment or non-prescription medication directly to patients during office visits. It allows deductions for items used in patient treatment (like medical devices or saline), excluding standard office furniture and computers. To offset lost local tax revenue, the bill requires municipalities and counties to receive compensation based on the total deductions claimed in their areas. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax deduction for healthcare practitioners (tax policy), offsetting revenue loss via municipality compensation, advancing tax policy within budget framework.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates tax deduction for healthcare practitioners selling treatment equipment directly to patients, improving access to medical supplies and supporting provider capacity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Revenue Sales Tax

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in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 53: COMMUNITY & HEALTH INFO SAFETY & PRIVACY ACT

SB 53, the Community and Health Information Safety and Privacy Act, establishes new privacy standards for businesses operating in New Mexico that collect consumer data. It directly affects online service providers, health-related businesses, and other "covered entities" that handle personal or biometric data of New Mexico residents. Key provisions prohibit businesses from using consumer data for targeted advertising without consent, ban "dark patterns" that manipulate user choices, and require clear opt-out mechanisms for data sharing. The law also protects consumers' rights to access, correct, or delete their data and prohibits retaliation for exercising these rights. It specifically excludes certain health data used for medical treatment under federal law from its requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects health data privacy for patients by requiring consent for health-related data use, aligning with patient rights in healthcare services.80% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits data use for targeted ads without consent and bans 'dark patterns' - directly strengthens consumer data privacy protections in technology sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy Tags Privacy

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 244: HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY ACT

HB 244, the Hospital Price Transparency Act, requires all New Mexico hospitals to publicly display standard pricing for services on their websites in machine-readable format and either a list of 300+ shoppable services or a price estimator tool. This directly affects hospitals (both public and private) and patients who may face debt collection for services provided during non-compliance periods. Hospitals violating the law cannot pursue collection actions for affected services, and patients can use the hospital’s non-compliance as an affirmative defense in debt collection cases. The Health Care Authority will enforce compliance through website audits, complaint processes, and requiring corrective action plans for violations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to disclose prices and prevents debt collection for non-compliant services, directly protecting patient financial rights and improving cost transparency in healthcare.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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