Rep. Joanne Ferrary

Maddy summaryHB 210 allocates $4.813 million from the general fund to the Health Care Authority for fiscal year 2027. It directly provides healthcare facilities (like hospitals and clinics) with subsidized subscriptions to New Mexico's state-designated Health Information Exchange (HIE), encouraging them to share patient health data electronically. The bill’s key mechanism is covering the cost of HIE subscriptions for participating facilities, aiming to improve data sharing across providers. Any unspent funds at year-end would revert to the general fund. This is a funding measure, not a policy change to patient care standards.

Maddy summaryHB 172, the Safe Staffing Act, sets mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for hospitals across New Mexico, directly affecting all hospitals providing inpatient care (including critical access hospitals) and their nursing staff. Key provisions require specific ratios, such as one nurse per two patients in intensive care units, one nurse per four patients in emergency departments over a 12-hour shift, and one nurse per patient during active labor in delivery units. The bill creates a statewide staffing advisory committee with nurse and hospital staff representation to help develop enforcement rules, and authorizes administrative penalties for noncompliance. These changes aim to standardize staffing based on unit type and patient needs, applying uniformly to all covered hospitals.

Maddy summaryHB 62 renames New Mexico's geothermal electricity generation tax credits to "geothermal energy production" credits and establishes a tiered credit system based on kilowatt-hour output. It provides tax credits ranging from $0.015 to $0.035 per kWh (increasing over the first five years then decreasing), capped at 200,000 megawatt-hours per facility annually. The bill limits total annual credits to $55 million, reserving $11 million for tribal and small businesses, and allows credit transfers between taxpayers. This directly affects geothermal energy producers in New Mexico who own facilities generating electricity from geothermal resources.

Maddy summaryThis memorial requests New Mexico's Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to create a 14-member study group focused on accelerating the approval of community- and utility-scale renewable energy projects. The group will examine current permitting processes, identify ways to streamline reviews, and recommend improvements to support the state's clean energy goals while balancing environmental protections and public input. The study group will include representatives from state agencies, utilities, environmental organizations, tribal entities, and local governments, with a final report due by November 2026.

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 21 designates January 30, 2026, as "New Mexico Food and Farms Day" to honor individuals and organizations advancing local food systems and farm-to-table initiatives across the state. It specifically recognizes 2026 award recipients, including farmers' markets, sustainable food centers, young farmers, and land stewards, for their contributions to community food access and economic resilience. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal acknowledgment of efforts to strengthen New Mexico's food system and end hunger.

Maddy summarySB 38 repeals a delayed repeal of fees charged to businesses registering pet food products in New Mexico. The bill removes a provision that would have postponed ending these fees until 2025, instead requiring the fees to end immediately. This directly affects pet food manufacturers and distributors that pay these registration fees, as it eliminates the remaining delay in ending the requirement. The bill does not change the fee amount or create new fees - it only accelerates the timeline for their removal.

Maddy summaryHB 116 requires the New Mexico Department of Health to pay licensed boarding homes $200 monthly for each resident discharged from the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute (Las Vegas) or the University of New Mexico Adult Psychiatric Center, starting January 1, 2026. This applies only to boarding homes licensed by the Department of Health and mandates the department to create rules for documentation and fraud prevention. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to cover these payments, with any unspent funds reverting to the general fund by year-end. It directly affects licensed boarding homes housing individuals transitioning from state psychiatric facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 229 allocates $430,000 from the state general fund to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture for the "NM-GROWN Approved Supplier Program" in fiscal year 2026. The program aims to support local agricultural suppliers by promoting New Mexico-grown products, directly benefiting state farmers and producers who qualify as approved suppliers. Funds must be spent by the end of fiscal year 2026, with any unspent balance reverting to the state general fund. The bill was referred to committees, passed committee approval, but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, preventing its enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 430, the Health Data Privacy Act, establishes new privacy rules for businesses (not healthcare providers) that handle New Mexico residents' health data, such as fitness apps or health-related services. It requires these entities to publicly share clear privacy policies, provide accessible tools for individuals to manage their data, and implement security measures to protect health information. The bill specifically prohibits using health data for targeted advertising without explicit consent, bans processing precise location data related to health services unless necessary, and mandates transparent consent processes disclosing data uses and sharing. Businesses must obtain separate, clear consent before collecting health data, detailing what information is gathered, how it will be used, and how individuals can withdraw consent.

Maddy summaryHB 124 clarifies procedures for guardians when a person under their care (a "protected person") or the guardian themselves dies. It requires guardians to notify the court within three days of a protected person's death, obtain a death certificate without court approval, and request court hearings for funeral arrangements or using the estate for funeral costs if no family or will-appointed representative is available. The bill allows guardians to temporarily act as personal representatives to manage the estate, with conservators prioritized for this role if both seek it, and mandates a final court report within 45 days of death. These changes streamline estate handling for vulnerable individuals while ensuring court oversight for key decisions.