Rep. Reena Szczepanski

Maddy summaryHJM 2 is a procedural request asking the New Mexico Legislative Council to create a task force to study combining the state's standing committees (active during sessions) and interim committees (active between sessions) into unified year-round committees. The task force would examine how to merge these committees, including staffing, funding, implementation timelines (with a 2027 target), and reducing overlap. It would include legislative members and public experts, and must submit a report by November 2025. This request directly affects how New Mexico's legislature organizes its committee structure, not specific policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Mexico's ticket scalping law to cover events hosted by state agencies, local governments (like cities or counties), and tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. It prohibits reselling tickets for these events at a price higher than the original ticket cost or the venue's admission price. Sellers may still charge a service fee if permitted by a contract with the event organizer. Violating this law is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $500, up to one year in jail, or both.

Maddy summarySB 207 would expand New Mexico's insurance rules to exempt certain medications from prior authorization requirements. It directly affects patients with autoimmune disorders, cancer, rare diseases (affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.), or substance use disorders, and insurers covering their prescriptions. The bill requires insurers to cover these medications without prior approval or step therapy (trying cheaper drugs first) when a doctor deems them medically necessary for the condition. This change applies only when no cheaper generic, biosimilar, or interchangeable biologic alternative is available.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans discriminatory language in property deeds and documents, such as rules that restrict who can buy or live in a home based on race, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics. It directly affects property sellers, buyers, and county clerks who record deeds. The law requires removing such discriminatory terms before any property transfer can be recorded, and mandates updating existing documents with these clauses. It declares these restrictions void under New Mexico law, aligning with existing anti-discrimination protections for housing.

Maddy summaryHB 186 would create a new "Medicaid Forward Plan" to provide health coverage for New Mexicans under age 65 who earn too much for standard Medicaid (over 133% of the federal poverty level) but still cannot afford private insurance. The plan would use income-based premiums and cost-sharing (with discounts for households below 400% of the poverty level) and require collaboration between the Health Care Authority and the Insurance Office to enroll people through the state health insurance exchange. The bill mandates the state to develop this plan by January 2028, with $2 million allocated for planning staff and consulting in 2026-2027. It specifically requires input from tribal nations and aims to maximize federal funding to keep coverage affordable.

Maddy summaryHB 70, the "Behavioral Health Medicaid Waiver Act," aims to create a new Medicaid waiver program in New Mexico for residents with behavioral health disabilities, including serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and brain injuries. The bill requires the Health Care Authority to develop and submit a federal application for this waiver by December 2025, using $1.1 million in state funds to hire staff and retain consultants. It mandates the authority to coordinate services through individualized plans, establish advisory councils, and align reimbursement systems with existing home- and community-based waiver programs. The bill does not change current Medicaid coverage but seeks to expand access to community-based behavioral health services. Note: This bill was postponed indefinitely in June 2025 and did not advance to law.

Maddy summaryHB 265 allocates $4 million from New Mexico's general fund to the Creative Industries Fund for grants supporting creative businesses and organizations (e.g., artists, filmmakers, musicians). The funds, designated for fiscal year 2026 and beyond, will be administered by the Economic Development Department's creative industries division. Unspent funds will roll over to future years instead of reverting to the general fund, ensuring continued support for the sector.

Maddy summaryHJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit New Mexico's regular legislative sessions to 45 days (down from 60 in odd years) and remove restrictions on bills considered during even-numbered years. It also allows veto overrides for bills from any session type (regular, special, or extraordinary) within the same two-year legislative cycle. The bill directly affects how the state legislature operates by changing session length rules and veto override procedures. If approved by voters, it would require constitutional changes to the state's governing structure. (Note: The bill passed the House in February 2025 but was postponed in the Senate in June 2025.)

Maddy summaryHB 72 would require New Mexico hospitals to maintain minimum nurse-to-patient ratios based on hospital unit types (like critical care, emergency departments, and labor units). It creates a staffing advisory committee with balanced representation from hospital administrators, direct-care nurses, and labor organizations to help set these ratios. Hospitals would need to develop written policies for staffing, training, and competency evaluations for both licensed and unlicensed staff. The bill mandates the Health Care Authority to establish specific numerical ratios by July 2026, with potential rural hospital adjustments, while requiring hospitals to meet these minimums for patient safety.

Maddy summaryHouse Joint Memorial 5 requests New Mexico's legislature to support federal protections for the Upper Pecos Watershed. It urges federal action to permanently withdraw lands from mining claims and advocates for congressional passage of the Pecos Watershed Protection Act to safeguard water resources, cultural heritage (including ties to Pecos Pueblo and Pueblo of Tesuque), and local economies dependent on agriculture, recreation, and clean water. The memorial emphasizes the watershed's ecological sensitivity and recovery from past mining impacts, without opposing mining generally.