Rep. Liz Thomson

Maddy summaryHB 349 requires New Mexico's Department of Health to develop a comprehensive database tracking all health care spending by October 2025. The database must collect data on payments from all sources - including private insurers, public programs, prescription drugs, insurance premiums, and nonmedical costs like rural transportation - across all health care providers. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the state general fund to fund this effort over two fiscal years, with unused funds reverting to the general fund. This is a data-collection measure, not a direct policy change affecting residents or providers.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 263, the Hospital Price Transparency Act, requires all New Mexico hospitals to publicly post detailed pricing information online. Hospitals must provide a machine-readable digital file showing standard charges (including gross rates, average negotiated rates with insurers, and cash prices) for all services, plus a consumer-friendly list of at least 300 "shoppable" services (like MRIs or lab tests), including the 70 services mandated by federal Medicare. This directly affects hospitals by mandating transparency on costs for both insured and self-pay patients, with penalties for non-compliance including restrictions on debt collection actions during violations. The bill aims to give consumers clear, accessible pricing data to make informed healthcare decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 73 eliminates the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits seeking damages related to childhood sexual abuse in New Mexico, allowing survivors to file claims at any time regardless of when the abuse occurred. It directly affects survivors of childhood sexual abuse - defined as acts violating specific New Mexico criminal laws (e.g., criminal sexual penetration of a minor) - by removing the previous time limits (like the 24th birthday deadline or 3-year window after disclosure to a healthcare provider). The bill applies retroactively, meaning it enables lawsuits for past cases where time limits had already expired. Currently, the bill passed the House but was postponed indefinitely in the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 3, 2025, and remains pending.

Maddy summaryHB 230 clarifies when employers in New Mexico can test medical cannabis patients for impairment and protects these employees from unfair treatment. It bans random cannabis testing and requires employers to have reasonable suspicion of impairment (e.g., after an accident or during work hours) before testing. Employers must use a medical review officer to interpret positive tests and cannot penalize employees solely for medical cannabis use or presence of metabolites. The bill also requires the Health and Workforce Solutions Departments to create evidence-based guidelines for assessing impairment, though safety-sensitive roles (like transportation) may still have separate rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 613) has no substantive text or policy provisions provided in the available context. The title ("Public Peace, Health, Safety & Welfare") is generic and does not describe specific policy changes. The bill was referred to the House Rules and Order of Business Committee but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, meaning it did not advance further. Without bill text or a substantive summary, no specific mechanisms, affected groups, or concrete policy changes can be described.

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 61 is a non-binding request to New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department, not a law. It asks the department to study and implement autobiographical storytelling as a trauma-informed strategy to support foster children. Specifically, it requests collaboration with speech-language pathologists and mental health providers to train caregivers, help children create personal stories (focusing on present experiences, not past trauma), and develop crisis plans for emotional distress. The effort targets foster children in New Mexico - where 2,000-2,600 children enter the system annually - who face higher risks of language delays and emotional challenges due to adverse experiences.

Maddy summaryHB 77 requires New Mexico's Health Care Authority to create and submit annual state outreach plans each year to promote access to federal SNAP benefits (food assistance). The bill mandates the Authority to seek all available federal matching funds for these plans and allows partnerships with counties, tribes, or nonprofits to develop and implement them. It also specifies that the Authority is exempt from creating a plan if insufficient state, local, or federal funds exist to cover costs. The bill focuses on operational procedures for SNAP outreach, not on changing eligibility or benefit amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 171 allows licensed custodial care facilities providing medically monitored withdrawal management to legally stock and possess certain controlled substances (specifically those in Schedules III-V under federal law). This applies only to facilities with a consulting pharmacist overseeing care and 24/7 nursing staff on-site year-round. The bill amends New Mexico's Pharmacy Act to authorize these facilities to maintain the necessary medications for withdrawal management directly on-site. It does not change patient eligibility or treatment protocols, but streamlines access to specific controlled drugs for approved facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 78 prohibits New Mexico drug manufacturers and their affiliates from discriminating against entities participating in the federal 340B drug pricing program. It directly affects community health centers, hospitals, and clinics that serve low-income patients and their contracted pharmacies, ensuring they can access discounted drugs without interference. The law specifically bans manufacturers from denying, restricting, or interfering with the acquisition or delivery of 340B drugs to these entities or requiring extra data sharing beyond federal requirements. Signed into law on April 9, 2025, this bill enforces compliance with federal 340B program rules at the state level.