Rep. Nicole Chavez

Maddy summaryHB 96 provides a temporary 2% annual payment on top of regular pension benefits for eligible retired members of New Mexico's Public Employees Retirement Act (PERA) during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This non-compounding payment applies to retirees who have met specific eligibility criteria, such as having retired for at least two full years prior to the adjustment date. The bill appropriates $66 million from the general fund to cover these payments, which are calculated as 2% of each retiree's current pension amount (including prior adjustments). It does not affect current cost-of-living adjustments but adds this temporary benefit for qualifying retirees during the specified two-year period.

Maddy summaryHB 133 requires New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to provide standard identification cards to children aged 14 or older who have been in CYFD custody for 30 or more consecutive days. The department must secure the card within 90 days of placement, or within 90 days after a condition preventing compliance (like incarceration or disability) ends. This standard card does not require proof of lawful status - unlike REAL ID cards - making it accessible for youth in foster care who may lack documentation. The bill, effective January 1, 2026, aims to help these children access services requiring identification.

Maddy summaryHB 86 removes the statute of limitations for prosecuting human trafficking cases in New Mexico, allowing prosecutions to occur at any time. It raises the age for "sexual exploitation of children by prostitution" from 16 to 18 years and adds human trafficking to the definition of "racketeering" for legal purposes. The bill also defines "harm" in trafficking cases, prohibits specific defenses for traffickers, and expands protections by adding trafficking victims to the Victims of Crime Act. These changes directly affect human trafficking victims (especially minors), prosecutors, and defendants, focusing on strengthening legal tools to address trafficking. The bill was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment would allow New Mexico courts to deny bail for felony defendants if prosecutors prove - using clear and convincing evidence - that release would endanger others or the community. It specifically creates a legal presumption that defendants charged with "dangerous or violent" felonies (as designated by law) cannot be safely released, shifting the burden to them to prove otherwise with a preponderance of evidence. The bill directly affects individuals charged with serious felonies, particularly those involving violence or danger, by making pretrial detention easier to justify. If passed, it would require voter approval through a constitutional amendment process.

Maddy summaryHB 103 increases penalties for aggravated battery against peace officers by reclassifying the most severe cases - from third-degree to second-degree felonies. This applies when battery causes great bodily harm, involves a deadly weapon, or could cause great bodily harm or death. The bill does not change penalties for less severe battery offenses (which remain fourth-degree felonies). It was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, but its progress was postponed indefinitely in the Senate.

Maddy summaryHB 432 would require schools to report students with persistent unexcused absences to juvenile probation after interventions, potentially triggering neglect investigations. It would make it a crime for parents to allow continued school absences, with penalties including $50-$100 fines for a first offense or up to six months in jail for repeat offenses. The bill also allows suspending a student’s driving privileges for up to 90 days on a first offense and up to one year for subsequent offenses. This legislation directly affects parents of chronically absent students and school districts implementing attendance enforcement.

Maddy summarySB 153 creates a new crime called "home invasion" for unlawful entry into a dwelling while an occupant is present, with intent to commit a felony or theft. It specifically targets intruders who are armed with a deadly weapon, become armed after entering, or commit threatening acts causing reasonable fear of immediate harm. The bill amends existing aggravated burglary law by removing "dwelling" as a specific category, meaning aggravated burglary now applies to vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, or other structures (not just homes). This law directly affects individuals entering homes unlawfully and will guide prosecutors and courts in classifying such offenses as a second-degree felony.

Maddy summaryHB 344 (New Mexico, 2025) provides tax deductions for healthcare providers on specific revenue streams. It allows deductions for sales of medical equipment/supplies/drugs, certain non-Medicaid patient payments (including copayments and services not tied to insurance contracts), and removes an expiration date for existing deductions. The bill also requires Medicaid providers to be reimbursed for taxes paid on their Medicaid reimbursements. These changes apply to licensed healthcare practitioners (like doctors, nurses, and therapists) who provide services within their scope of practice, as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 408 requires New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to conduct a study every five years, starting in 2026, to examine the costs and reimbursement rates for community-based foster care placements and treatment services. The study must cover specific expenses like safety resources, food, clothing, shelter, and daily needs for foster parents and other caregivers (referred to as "resource families" in the bill). CYFD must submit the initial study to the legislative finance committee by December 1, 2025, and $100,000 is allocated from the general fund for this purpose in fiscal year 2026. This bill mandates a regular review of foster care funding without changing current policies or reimbursement rates.

Maddy summaryHB 104 expands New Mexico's Victims of Crime Act to include specific crimes committed against peace officers as qualifying "criminal offenses." It adds provisions (items 22-25) to the definition list, covering aggravated assault, assault with intent, battery, and aggravated battery upon peace officers. This change directly affects peace officers who are victims of these specific assaults, ensuring they qualify for victim services and compensation under the Act. The bill does not change penalties for these crimes but updates eligibility for victim support programs. The bill passed the House but was postponed indefinitely in the Senate on June 3, 2025.