Rep. Matthew McQueen

Maddy summaryThis resolution requires New Mexico House committees to list each member's individual vote (yes, no, excused, or absent) on committee reports when a roll call vote is taken on amendments or the final report. It directly affects committee members and the public by making committee voting records more detailed, rather than showing only total vote counts. The rule change applies to all bills, memorials, or resolutions referred to committees, as specified in amended House Rule 9-5-5. The bill was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 609, introduced by Representative Matthew McQueen in New Mexico's 2025 legislative session, was titled to address public peace, health, safety, and welfare. However, the provided context contains no substantive bill text or specific policy provisions detailing what the bill would change or who it would affect. The bill was referred to the House Rules and Order of Business Committee but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, and was never printed or advanced further. As no concrete policy language or mechanisms are described in the available information, a detailed summary of its provisions cannot be provided.

Maddy summaryHB 259 increases fines and fees for oil and gas companies violating New Mexico's regulations. It raises daily penalty limits from $2,500 to $10,000 for standard violations (up to $25,000 daily if health/safety risks exist) and sets a new maximum total penalty of $3.65 million for division/commission actions. The bill also hikes application fees (e.g., drilling permits from $500 to $1,500) and requires annual inflation adjustments starting in 2027. These changes directly affect oil and gas operators, permit applicants, and companies subject to the Oil and Gas Act.

Maddy summaryNew Mexico's SB 34 updates rules to reduce light pollution by requiring most outdoor light fixtures installed after July 1, 2025, to be fully shielded (directing light downward) and limiting fixtures over four feet high emitting more than 1,000 lumens from pointing skyward. It adds exemptions for roadway safety signs on interstates, temporary construction/emergency lights, and film production lighting, while removing previous exemptions for automatic shutoff devices and certain advertising signs. The bill also eliminates a prior exemption for recreational facility lights after 11:00 p.m. (except for specific events) and repeals outdated provisions. These changes directly affect businesses, property owners, construction sites, and municipalities managing outdoor lighting. The law aims to protect night skies by standardizing shielding requirements across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 21 changes the revenue thresholds that determine the percentage of annual distributions land grant-merced communities receive from New Mexico's Land Grant-Mercy Assistance Fund. The bill adjusts the income levels qualifying for full (100%), 75%, 50%, or 25% distributions and makes the fund nonreverting, meaning any remaining balance at year-end stays in the fund instead of reverting to the general fund. This directly affects land grant-merced communities meeting compliance requirements under the fund's rules. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 257 amends New Mexico's Oil and Gas Act to give the Oil Conservation Division authority to create rules regulating transfers of oil and gas wells. The bill specifically allows the division to restrict transfers when transferors or transferees have unresolved violations of oil and gas regulations, fail to provide required financial assurance, lack sufficient financial capacity to manage well liabilities, or when the division deems restrictions necessary to mitigate risks from inactive or abandoned wells. This directly affects oil and gas companies and individuals buying or selling wells in New Mexico. The change adds these conditions to existing transfer rules without altering other aspects of well ownership or operations.

Maddy summarySB 210 increases penalties for violating New Mexico's water laws, raising the maximum daily civil fine from $100 to $2,000 for most violations (and to $10,000 per day for groundwater violations involving illegal recovery or use). It directly affects water users, including agricultural and municipal entities, who breach water rights or permits. Key mechanisms include requiring repayment of overdiverted water (up to double the amount) as a preferred remedy before fines, and mandating annual inflation adjustments to penalty amounts starting July 2027 using the U.S. Consumer Price Index. The bill amends Sections 72-2-18 and 72-5A-12 of the New Mexico Statutes to implement these changes.

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 256 would have removed the existing deadline requiring bills to be introduced by specific days in regular legislative sessions (30th day in odd-numbered years, 15th day in even-numbered years), with limited exceptions for appropriation bills and emergency measures. This change would have directly affected all legislators introducing bills by eliminating that time restriction for all non-exempt legislation. The bill's key mechanism was amending a statute to delete the deadline language from New Mexico's legislative rules. The proposal was never enacted, as it was postponed indefinitely after committee review.

Maddy summaryHB 481 requires current and former owners, operators, or lessees of oil and gas wells, facilities, or equipment in New Mexico to pay for plugging abandoned wells, removing associated equipment, cleaning up environmental damage, and restoring land. It directly affects oil and gas companies and landowners who previously held rights to wells, shifting costs from taxpayers to responsible parties. The bill creates a new requirement for these entities to reimburse the state's Oil Conservation Division for all associated cleanup costs, including environmental remediation and site restoration. This policy change takes effect July 1, 2025, and allows contractual agreements between parties but does not bind the state regarding which party must pay.