Rep. Pat Roybal Caballero

Maddy summarySB 151 amends New Mexico's Magistrate Retirement Act to adjust eligibility requirements and pension calculations for magistrate judges who became members on or after July 1, 2014. It increases the required years of service credit from five to eight years for judges aged 65 or older to qualify for normal retirement (Section 2). The bill also revises the pension formula for these judges, replacing a 5% multiplier for pre-2014 service with a 3.5% multiplier for post-2014 service, calculated using a different salary averaging method (Section 3). These changes directly affect current and future magistrate judges under the state retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 22 amends New Mexico's Minimum Wage Act to prohibit employers from deducting credit card processing fees from tips paid via credit card. It requires employers to pay tipped employees the full amount indicated by patrons on credit card slips, without any deductions for fees charged by credit card companies. This directly affects service workers (like servers and bartenders) who receive tips through credit card payments in New Mexico. The bill takes immediate effect as it declares an emergency.

Maddy summaryBased solely on the provided context, no substantive summary of HB 616 can be generated. The bill text and detailed summary fields are empty, and the "Recent Actions" only indicate it was introduced by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero and postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025. Without any description of the bill's content, provisions, or intended effects, it is impossible to describe what the bill does or who it affects. The available information only confirms its procedural status, not its policy substance.

Maddy summaryHJR 3 proposes adding environmental rights to New Mexico's constitution, establishing for all residents a legally recognized right to clean air, water, soil, healthy ecosystems, a safe climate, and preserved natural/cultural environments. It requires state, county, and municipal governments to act as trustees of natural resources for all people, including future generations, with these provisions being self-executing (effective without further laws). The resolution does not allow monetary damages for violations but mandates equitable protection regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Currently pending, it must be approved by voters at the next general election after being postponed indefinitely by committees in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 216 repeals a state law that previously banned cities and towns in New Mexico from enacting rent control on privately owned rental properties. This change would allow local governments to create their own rent control policies for residential buildings. The bill directly affects landlords, tenants, and municipal governments by removing the legal barrier to local rent regulation. It does not create new rent control rules itself but enables communities to develop their own policies. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 279, the Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearms Exclusion Act, bans the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of gas-operated semiautomatic firearms (those using gas pressure to cycle ammunition), large-capacity magazines (over 10 rounds), and rapid-fire devices that increase firing speed. It takes effect July 1, 2025, for new transactions and January 1, 2026, for possession, directly affecting firearm owners and dealers in New Mexico. The bill requires the Attorney General to maintain a list of prohibited firearms and allows exceptions for pre-2025 firearms certified by owners before January 1, 2026, or for government use. It does not affect non-gas-operated semiautomatic firearms or devices designed for .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.

Maddy summaryHB 337, the Health Care Whistleblower Protection Act, protects health care workers, patients, volunteers, and consumers who report safety risks, fraud, or violations of law in New Mexico's health care system from retaliation by health care entities. It prohibits entities from firing, demoting, or otherwise punishing individuals who disclose wrongdoing in good faith to government agencies, testify in investigations, or object to unsafe practices. Whistleblowers can sue for lost wages, reinstatement, attorney fees, and other damages if retaliated against, and their identities must remain confidential unless they consent to disclosure. The law applies broadly to hospitals, clinics, staffing companies, and telemedicine providers, but excludes federally qualified health centers and independent health care practices.

Maddy summaryHB 184 would provide an annual $1,000 cash payment to New Mexico residents who filed an individual income tax return (or requested an extension) for the previous year. The Department of Finance and Administration would distribute these payments by April 15 each year, with married couples filing jointly receiving $1,000 per spouse. A "resident" is defined as someone domiciled in New Mexico during the year or physically present for at least 185 days, excluding those who changed their abode with intent to leave permanently. This direct payment program affects individual taxpayers who meet the residency and filing requirements, funded from the state general fund.

Maddy summaryHB 224, the Student Loan Bill of Rights Act, establishes new consumer protections for student loan borrowers in New Mexico. It requires non-bank student loan servicers to obtain a license, prohibits unfair practices like sudden loan acceleration, and mandates clear rights for borrowers - including equal access to repayment options, disability discharge for permanent disability, and cosigner notice and release. The law creates enforcement tools, including a Student Loan Ombud and a private right to sue for violations, while exempting banks and credit unions from licensing. It directly affects New Mexico residents with private student loans, their cosigners, and the non-bank entities managing those loans.

Maddy summarySB 150 would adjust retirement requirements for New Mexico judges by increasing the required years of service for certain judicial retirees. Specifically, judges who joined the system between 2005 and 2014 would need 16 years of service (up from 15) to qualify for retirement at age 55. The bill also modifies fund administration rules, directing investment income to be credited to the Judicial Retirement Fund and clarifying how contributions and pensions are calculated. This bill, which passed committee in February 2025 but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, directly affects current and future judges under the state's judicial retirement system. It does not change retirement benefits but adjusts eligibility criteria for retirement.