Sen. Michael Padilla

Maddy summarySB 244 creates a new crime in New Mexico for knowingly giving a firearm to someone under 19, unless specific exceptions apply. These exceptions cover supervised activities like hunter safety courses, legal hunting, target shooting at authorized ranges, or transfers from parents/guardians. Violating this law would be a second-degree felony, with each firearm transferred counting as a separate offense. The bill also adds "unlawful transfer of a firearm to a minor" to New Mexico’s definition of racketeering offenses. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 193 requires health insurers in New Mexico to cover at least one injectable weight loss drug (specifically a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist) for adults with obesity who need long-term weight management. It applies to all group health plans, individual insurance policies, HMOs, and nonprofit health care plans delivered or renewed after January 1, 2026. The law directly affects insured adults with obesity by mandating coverage for these medications and insurers who must add this coverage to their plans. It does not specify which drug must be covered, only that at least one such injectable option must be included in prescription drug coverage.

Maddy summarySB 321 requires New Mexico State Police officers to be the highest-paid law enforcement personnel in the state by mandating annual salary reviews and adjustments by the Department of Public Safety Secretary. It directly affects all New Mexico State Police members (both probationary and permanent) by ensuring their salaries exceed those of other law enforcement agencies. The bill appropriates $100,000 for a FY2026 salary study, with unspent funds reverting to the general fund. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 78 amends New Mexico law to establish an independent practice role for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), allowing them to provide anesthesia care without direct physician supervision in most settings. This directly affects CRNAs and patients in New Mexico healthcare facilities, removing prior requirements for physician collaboration in anesthesia care. The bill defines "independent role" as performing all anesthesia-related actions (including prescribing certain drugs in emergency, surgical, or perinatal settings) without oversight, while clarifying their prescribing authority based on a board-developed formulary. The law also includes provisions for expedited licensure for CRNAs moving from other states and maintains requirements for national certification and continuing education.

Maddy summarySB 42 moves New Mexico's state program administering services under the federal Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 from the Children, Youth and Families Department to the Department of Health. It updates requirements for "plans of safe care" - written plans addressing treatment needs for substance-exposed newborns and their caregivers to ensure child safety. The bill specifically amends Section 32A-1-4 of the Children's Code to reflect this administrative shift and revised safe care protocols. This change directly affects child welfare systems, health departments, and families with newborns exposed to substances prenatally. The bill was enacted after passing both chambers and receiving the governor's signature in April 2025.

Maddy summarySB 59 adds "off-site fabricators" to New Mexico's Public Works Minimum Wage Act. This means workers who prefabricate components like ductwork for public projects (e.g., schools, roads) must now receive the same minimum wage and fringe benefits as on-site laborers and mechanics. The bill requires contractors to pay prevailing wages determined by the labor division based on collective bargaining agreements for these workers, with rates posted at project sites and payroll records maintained. It directly affects contractors and fabricators working on public projects over $60,000, ensuring they meet the same wage standards as other construction workers.

Maddy summarySB 126 increases funding for New Mexico's State Rural Universal Service Fund, raising the annual allocation for broadband programs from $30 million to $40 million (after expenses). It directly affects rural broadband providers and unserved/underserved communities by providing more financial support to deploy and maintain internet access in rural areas. The bill requires recipients of fund support to spend at least 60% of their funds on broadband deployment and maintenance in rural regions, as defined by the state commission. This amendment to existing law aims to expand affordable broadband access without changing how the fund is collected or administered.

Maddy summarySB 92 creates a permanent insurance fund to cover costs for jockeys and exercise riders in New Mexico horse racing. The fund, managed by the horse racing commission, is financed through money collected from the commission (to offset insurance expenses) and other sources like investments, donations, and grants. This directly affects jockeys and exercise riders by ensuring their insurance costs are covered under state and federal law, specifically to comply with Section 60-2E-47 NMSA 1978. The bill provides a dedicated funding mechanism to maintain insurance coverage without requiring separate annual appropriations.

Maddy summaryHB 93 requires New Mexico electricity companies to submit detailed "advanced grid technology plans" to the Public Regulation Commission alongside their regular resource plans. These plans must identify transmission congestion points, propose specific technology projects (like dynamic line ratings or advanced power flow controllers) to address them, and include cost analyses. Approved projects can recover costs through rate increases (tariff riders or base rates), with the Commission reviewing plans to ensure they save ratepayers money, improve grid reliability, support renewable energy integration, and benefit low-income communities. The law applies to most utilities but excludes rural electric cooperatives.

Maddy summarySB 169 creates a framework to certify sites ready for immediate economic development in New Mexico. It requires the economic development department to conduct site characterization studies assessing infrastructure, environment, workforce, and other factors, then recommend sites for certification to a new advisory committee. The committee - comprising state agency representatives and public experts - reviews sites, recommends designations, and advises on funding for pre-development work like environmental remediation, infrastructure upgrades, and permitting. Once certified, sites become eligible for grants or loans from the new "site readiness fund" to cover costs before construction begins, directly supporting developers and local governments preparing land for business growth.