Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez

Maddy summaryHJR 3 proposes adding environmental rights to New Mexico's constitution, establishing for all residents a legally recognized right to clean air, water, soil, healthy ecosystems, a safe climate, and preserved natural/cultural environments. It requires state, county, and municipal governments to act as trustees of natural resources for all people, including future generations, with these provisions being self-executing (effective without further laws). The resolution does not allow monetary damages for violations but mandates equitable protection regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Currently pending, it must be approved by voters at the next general election after being postponed indefinitely by committees in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 216 repeals a state law that previously banned cities and towns in New Mexico from enacting rent control on privately owned rental properties. This change would allow local governments to create their own rent control policies for residential buildings. The bill directly affects landlords, tenants, and municipal governments by removing the legal barrier to local rent regulation. It does not create new rent control rules itself but enables communities to develop their own policies. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 103 requires Medicaid personal care service providers (including agencies and self-directed programs) to submit detailed workforce data to New Mexico's Health Care Authority by March 1, 2026, and annually thereafter. This data includes staffing numbers, wages, benefits, demographics, and overtime hours for direct care workers providing services to Medicaid recipients. The Health Care Authority must analyze this data and publish annual reports, including a 2030 study to recommend reimbursement rates that aim to stabilize the workforce and ensure wages reach 150% of the state minimum wage. The bill directly affects agencies administering Medicaid personal care services and seeks to address workforce challenges through data-driven policy recommendations.

Maddy summarySB 428, the Crossover Youth Act, creates a dedicated program to support children simultaneously involved in New Mexico's child welfare and juvenile justice systems (termed "crossover youth"). It requires the state department to appoint a program coordinator to foster collaboration between child welfare and juvenile justice divisions, mandate annual training for all relevant staff (including judges, attorneys, and social workers) on trauma, cultural humility, and system coordination, and establish protocols for joint case management. The bill also guarantees basic visitation rights for siblings and parents of affected youth, unless safety concerns arise. This legislation directly impacts youth navigating both systems, their families, and state agencies responsible for their care.

Maddy summarySB 406 amends New Mexico's child welfare law to remove a presumption of abandonment as a basis for terminating parental rights in abuse or neglect cases. It deletes the provision that created a rebuttable presumption of abandonment when a child lived with others for an extended period under specific conditions (like disintegrated parent-child relationships). The bill also prohibits courts from terminating rights solely based on parental incarceration or the child being an Indian child. This directly affects child welfare cases where courts currently consider these factors. The bill was postponed indefinitely by the Senate on June 3, 2025, and has not become law.

Maddy summarySB 431 changes how New Mexico distributes liquor tax revenue. It allocates 94% of liquor excise tax revenue to a new Local Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund (replacing the previous DWI fund) and 6% to the Drug Court Fund, while creating a separate Tribal Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund funded by a new surtax on liquor retailers. The bill also excludes liquor excise taxes from the definition of "gross receipts" in another tax law and requires legislative committees to review liquor tax rates and distributions. These changes directly affect local governments receiving funds for alcohol treatment programs, tribal communities accessing the new tribal fund, and liquor retailers paying the surtax.

Maddy summarySB 271 revises New Mexico's Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) membership to 16 total members (eight from the House and eight from the Senate), reducing the previous total. It adjusts the appointment process to ensure proportional party representation in each chamber and requires at least one minority member from each house. The bill also clarifies vacancy procedures and alternates leadership roles between the Senate and House every two years. Introduced in the 2025 legislative session, the bill was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 400 allows renters who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault to terminate their rental agreements without penalty. Victims must provide the landlord with written notice and either a protective order or a letter from a victim services provider. This releases them from future rent payments, early termination fees, and liability for the property, while also permitting other tenants in the agreement to be freed from financial responsibility and enter a new lease. The bill clarifies that the alleged perpetrator may still face civil liability for the violence, regardless of their role in the rental agreement.

Maddy summarySB 331 requires individuals convicted of specific domestic violence offenses (including assault against household members and repeated battery) to complete an approved domestic violence offender treatment program administered by New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department. The bill also changes probation rules: if an offender violates probation conditions after a suspended or deferred sentence, they cannot receive credit for time served on probation, and the court may impose the original sentence. This applies to convictions under amended sections of New Mexico law covering assault, aggravated assault, and multiple offenses against household members. The bill directly affects domestic violence offenders in New Mexico who receive probation for these crimes, mandating treatment participation and altering probation enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 55 requires New Mexico's Health Care Authority to set a minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate of $23.50 per hour for personal care services. It mandates that at least 70% of this reimbursement must directly fund wages and benefits for direct care workers (like home health aides), excluding costs for training or equipment. The bill appropriates $20.8 million to update Medicaid reimbursement rates for fiscal year 2026. This directly affects personal care service agencies and the workers providing in-home care to Medicaid recipients.