Rep. Joy Garratt

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the penalty for making a shooting threat from a misdemeanor to a fourth-degree felony. It defines a "shooting threat" as intentionally communicating intent to use a firearm to cause fear, disrupt public buildings, or trigger emergency responses. Courts must now order convicted individuals to pay victims for economic harm, including lost wages, business shutdown costs, or employee pay during disruptions. The bill directly affects people who make such threats and victims who suffer financial losses due to the threats.

Maddy summaryHB 157 creates new licensing requirements for school administrators in New Mexico, including site administrators (such as principals and assistant principals) and superintendents. The bill sets higher qualifications and standards for these licenses and establishes a new School Administrator Development Act to guide training and certification. It also delays the repeal of existing administrator licenses, allowing current license holders to continue working while transitioning to the new system. This bill directly affects school administrators, school districts, and state agencies that employ them.

Maddy summaryHB 156 increases minimum annual salaries for non-vocational teachers in New Mexico public schools at three licensure levels. It raises the base salary for level one teachers from $50,000 to $55,000, for level two teachers from $60,000 to $65,000, and for level three-A teachers from $70,000 (to a higher amount). The changes apply to standard nine-and-one-half-month contracts and affect all public school districts, excluding vocational education teachers from these increases. The bill directly impacts classroom teachers, counselors, and administrators holding these specific licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 195 establishes a tiered salary system for school nurses in New Mexico, aligning minimum salaries with corresponding teacher salary levels (e.g., level one nurses earn the same as level one teachers). It creates three license tiers: level one (provisional for new nurses), level two (experienced), and level three (advanced), requiring annual competency evaluations and mentorship for level one nurses. The bill also adds a "national board certification" program unit, giving school districts extra funding for nurses certified by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, contingent on districts providing a salary differential. These changes directly affect public school nurses and districts, aiming to improve recruitment and retention through structured compensation and certification incentives.

Maddy summaryHB 433 requires New Mexico's Higher Education Department, in collaboration with the Public Education Department, Workforce Solutions Department, and the Legislative Education Study Committee, to study career and technical education (CTE) course availability and instructor compensation. The study must examine course shortages, alignment with industry workforce needs, instructor salary comparisons to other higher education roles, and input from industry employers. It mandates a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations by October 1, 2025, and appropriates $100,000 from the general fund for this purpose. The bill directly affects state education agencies, school districts offering CTE programs, and industry employers providing workforce input.

Maddy summaryHB 20 creates a new Technology and Innovation Division within New Mexico's Economic Development Department to advance economic growth in key sectors like aerospace, biosciences, clean energy, and advanced computing. The bill establishes a Technology and Innovation Network Advisory Board with representatives from national labs, universities, industry, and tribal nations to guide strategy and fund applications. It also creates a Research, Development and Deployment Fund with an application process, matching requirements for projects, and reporting obligations to track economic impact. This division and fund directly affect state agencies, businesses, research institutions, and entrepreneurs working in New Mexico's targeted innovation sectors. The law aims to coordinate state efforts, attract investment, and support ecosystem development through structured funding and strategic planning.

Maddy summaryHB 69 establishes a 4.35-hour multiplier for teaching hours worked by adjunct and contingent faculty at New Mexico public colleges when applying for federal student loan forgiveness. This means each actual teaching hour counts as 4.35 hours toward the 120-month requirement, helping part-time faculty qualify more easily. The bill requires colleges to certify employment for eligible staff without delay and provide clear information about the program. It applies to hours worked on or after October 1, 2007, and does not change actual work hours or payment.

Maddy summaryHB 19, the Trade Ports Development Act, creates a framework for developing trade ports in New Mexico to improve cargo movement and supply chain efficiency. It establishes criteria for designating "trade port districts" (requiring proximity to highways, railroads, airports, and economic benefits for disadvantaged communities) and sets standards for approving projects (like cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, and workforce development). The bill authorizes grants and loans from a new state fund, allows public-private partnerships between government and businesses, and directs existing tax revenue (including motor vehicle excise tax distributions) toward these projects. It directly affects local communities, businesses, and state agencies like the Economic Development Department, aiming to boost regional economic growth through infrastructure development.

Maddy summarySB 169 creates a framework to certify sites ready for immediate economic development in New Mexico. It requires the economic development department to conduct site characterization studies assessing infrastructure, environment, workforce, and other factors, then recommend sites for certification to a new advisory committee. The committee - comprising state agency representatives and public experts - reviews sites, recommends designations, and advises on funding for pre-development work like environmental remediation, infrastructure upgrades, and permitting. Once certified, sites become eligible for grants or loans from the new "site readiness fund" to cover costs before construction begins, directly supporting developers and local governments preparing land for business growth.

Maddy summaryThis House Memorial (HM 2) requests the Legislative Education Study Committee to form a work group focused on education data governance and artificial intelligence. The work group will include state agencies (like Public Education, Higher Education, and Tribal departments), school leaders, educators, students, tribal representatives, and AI/data experts. It will study key issues including improving data quality across education systems, ensuring responsible AI use in schools, protecting student data privacy, and addressing unique needs of New Mexico communities. The group aims to develop recommendations for better data policies and AI integration, but the memorial itself does not create new laws. This is a procedural step to coordinate existing data efforts, not a policy change.