Rep. Kathleen Cates

Maddy summaryHB 348 increases daily penalties for violating New Mexico water laws from $100 to $2,000 for most violations (excluding illegal water recovery), and to $10,000 for violations involving illegal water recovery. It requires annual penalty adjustments based on inflation using the Consumer Price Index, with increases capped at 150% of current amounts. The bill prioritizes requiring violators to repay diverted water as a remedy before imposing fines, and mandates the state engineer to post updated penalty amounts annually on their website. It directly affects water users - such as farmers, ranchers, and developers - who overdivert or illegally use water resources.

Maddy summaryHB 121, the "County Redistricting Act," requires New Mexico counties to establish independent redistricting commissions to create single-member district maps for county commission elections. Each commission must include members representing the two largest political parties, non-partisan members, and a chair, with strict qualifications to avoid conflicts of interest. The bill mandates public input through multiple meetings, transparent record-keeping, and adherence to federal voting laws, with the first maps due by 2031. It directly affects all Class A counties and their residents by changing how local election districts are drawn.

Maddy summaryHB 404 creates a three-year pilot program providing monthly monetary stipends (up to $2,000) to New Mexico adults under 26 who are former foster youth, previously adjudicated under the Delinquency Act, or aged out of foster care. The stipends, administered by the Higher Education Department, are intended to cover basic living costs and improve educational, employment, and health outcomes for eligible participants enrolled in school, apprenticeships, or job-training programs. The program requires annual reporting to the legislature and a final evaluation by 2031, with $3 million appropriated from the general fund for fiscal years 2026-2028. The bill was postponed indefinitely by the legislature on June 3, 2025, and is not currently active.

Maddy summaryHB 29 expands liability protection for landowners who allow free recreational use of their land (like hunting or fishing) to include special districts organized under New Mexico law. The bill amends Section 17-4-7 to explicitly state that special districts controlling lands for recreation - without charging users (except for state/federal payments) - are shielded from liability for injuries, just like private landowners. This means local government entities managing public lands for recreation face the same limited liability as private property owners. The change applies to activities including hiking, camping, fishing, and cave exploration, but does not affect liability if landowners charge for access.

Maddy summaryHB 42 allocates $6.3 million from the general fund to New Mexico's Health Care Authority for fiscal year 2026, specifically to fund rate increases for service providers receiving Medicaid waiver program reimbursements. This directly affects healthcare providers (like home care agencies and community support services) enrolled in New Mexico's Medicaid waiver programs. The bill provides a one-time funding source for these rate hikes, with unspent funds reverting to the general fund by the end of 2026. The measure is currently pending, having been postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 211 increases tax credits for solar energy systems in New Mexico, primarily benefiting homeowners, businesses, and agricultural entities that install qualifying solar photovoltaic systems. It raises the credit rate to 20% (from 10%) for systems with at least 15 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity, allowing a maximum $12,000 credit per property annually - double the standard limit. The bill also creates a new corporate income tax credit for businesses installing solar systems, while maintaining an annual $30 million cap on total credits. These changes aim to incentivize larger-scale solar adoption by offering higher financial rewards for systems with storage capabilities.

Maddy summaryHB 118, the Professional Recruitment and Retention Act, creates a housing loan program administered by the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority to help qualified healthcare professionals buy homes in New Mexico. The program provides loans covering up to 10% of a home's purchase price for licensed professionals (including nurses, doctors, dentists, therapists, and social workers) who agree to practice in the state for ten years at no less than 75% full-time. If recipients leave before completing the term, they must repay a portion of the loan (100% in the first five years, 50% between five and seven years, 25% between seven and ten years) using proceeds from selling the home. The program is funded by a $5 million appropriation from the state general fund for fiscal years 2025-2026.

Maddy summaryHB 95 would require most group health insurance plans in New Mexico to cover fertility preservation services, such as storing eggs, embryos, or reproductive tissue, for people whose medical treatment (e.g., cancer therapy) may cause infertility. It mandates coverage regardless of an individual’s age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, life expectancy, or perceived quality of life. The law would apply to all qualifying group health plans, including self-insured employer plans, and is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026. It does not cover general fertility treatments but specifically addresses preservation services needed due to medically necessary treatments.

Maddy summaryHB 139 amends New Mexico's Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) by adding detailed definitions to clarify key terms. It defines sensitive categories like "employee personal information" (including home addresses, medical data, and financial account numbers), "attorney work product," "investigatory work product," and "critical infrastructure" for public records requests. These definitions would directly affect public agencies, schools, and law enforcement when processing requests for records, especially regarding employee data and legal documents. The bill aims to standardize how public bodies interpret and apply IPRA, without changing core access rules.

Maddy summaryHB 28 allows New Mexico's Department of Agriculture, conservancy districts, or soil and water conservation districts to designate "moderate drought conditions" on resting land. This designation determines whether the land qualifies for agricultural property valuation during droughts, specifically if conditions lasted at least eight consecutive weeks in the previous tax year. The bill amends land valuation rules to include drought-impacted resting land as eligible for agricultural use, directly affecting landowners who rely on this valuation method. It ensures land resting due to drought meets the criteria for agricultural use without requiring active farming during dry periods.