Rep. John Block

Maddy summaryThis bill (HM 28) is a symbolic memorial declaring March 17, 2025, as "Irish-American Day" within the New Mexico House of Representatives. It does not create new laws or affect residents; instead, it formally recognizes Irish Americans' historical contributions to New Mexico, citing figures like Stephen Kearny, Billy the Kid (born to Irish parents), and artist Georgia O'Keeffe. The resolution directs the House to celebrate Irish-American heritage and sends a copy to the Irish-American Society of New Mexico. As a commemorative measure, it has no regulatory or financial impact.

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 31 is a non-binding resolution requesting the governor declare a "Citizen Science Day" to recognize community science efforts. It asks state agencies (including education, outdoor recreation, and agriculture departments) to review a working group report on expanding citizen science programs, particularly for youth engagement. The resolution acknowledges New Mexico’s natural resources and the role of initiatives like UNM’s Wild Friends program in collecting environmental data through public participation. It does not create new laws but formally encourages agencies to integrate citizen science into their work.

Maddy summaryThis House Memorial (HM 42) symbolically recognizes the Virginia opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) as an important native marsupial in New Mexico. It does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or policies; instead, it formally acknowledges the opossum's ecological role (such as pest control and disease resistance) and encourages conservation awareness. The resolution was passed by the New Mexico House and signed into memorial status, directing copies to the Environment Secretary and House members. It serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment with no binding legal effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Mexico optometrists' scope of practice to include specific minor in-office procedures, such as removing superficial eyelid lesions, treating corneal abrasions, and performing certain laser treatments for eye conditions. It also requires the Board of Optometry to establish certification standards for optometrists using prescription drugs or laser procedures, including developing qualifications and maintaining annual records of certified practitioners. The board gains new duties, such as administering these certifications, keeping detailed records of licensees, and setting requirements for advanced services. This directly affects optometrists (who gain expanded clinical authority), the Board (which gains administrative responsibilities), and patients (who may access more eye care services from optometrists).

Maddy summaryHB 102 reclassifies "homicide by a vehicle" and "great bodily harm by a vehicle" as "serious violent offenses" under New Mexico's corrections system. This change directly affects prisoners convicted of these specific vehicle-related crimes, limiting their eligibility for earned meritorious deductions to a maximum of four days per month (instead of the 30 days available for nonviolent offenses). The bill amends Section 33-2-34 of the state code to update the definition of "serious violent offense" in the corrections policy, impacting how time deductions are calculated for these offenders. This adjustment ensures such offenders receive reduced sentence reductions compared to nonviolent offenders, based on the severity of their crimes.