Sen. Peter Wirth

Maddy summarySB 35 creates an additional judgeship in New Mexico's First Judicial District, increasing the number of district judges from ten to eleven. The bill appropriates $451,400 from the state general fund for fiscal year 2027 to cover the new position's costs, including the judge's salary, benefits, and office equipment. Unspent funds at year-end will revert to the general fund. This change directly affects the First Judicial District court system by expanding its judicial capacity to handle caseloads.

Maddy summaryHB 194 expands New Mexico's Metropolitan Redevelopment Program to include areas with housing shortages, defined as locations experiencing affordable housing scarcity, rising costs, or low vacancy rates. The bill allows redevelopment projects in these areas to include qualifying multifamily housing and exempts such properties from property taxation for up to 20 years. This directly affects developers and property owners building or maintaining affordable housing in designated shortage areas. The policy aims to increase housing supply by reducing financial barriers for developers in regions with critical housing needs.

Maddy summaryHB 15, the Medical Injury Collaborative Resolution Act, creates a formal process for patients and healthcare providers to discuss adverse health care outcomes (like injuries or deaths resulting from care) through "adverse outcome conferences." It directly affects patients who experience medical harm and healthcare providers involved in those incidents. Key provisions require written notice about patient rights (including medical records access and legal counsel), mandate that statements made during conferences cannot establish fault or limit legal claims, and require providers to keep settlement offers open for 15 days. The bill does not change lawsuit timelines or legal liability but aims to facilitate open communication and potential settlements outside of court. The bill is currently pending in the New Mexico legislature after passing committee reviews.

Maddy summaryHB 171 establishes a "Wildfire Fund" to reimburse New Mexico electric utilities for damages from wildfires they caused through their infrastructure (defined as "covered wildfires"). The fund is financed by a per-megawatt surcharge collected from participating utilities, not customers, with surcharge amounts based on each utility's wildfire risk history and mitigation plans. Utilities must submit approved wildfire mitigation plans covering vegetation management, infrastructure safety, and response protocols to qualify for fund payments. The bill also creates new oversight roles - the Service Infrastructure Safety Engineer and Bureau within the Public Regulation Commission - to manage the fund and ensure compliance.

Maddy summarySB 151 adjusts New Mexico's corporate tax calculation to better align with federal rules for certain income types. It modifies the state's definition of "base income" by adding back specific federal deductions (like interest from state bonds) and subtracting amounts for bonus depreciation and interest expenses that the federal government allows. This bill directly affects corporations operating in New Mexico that file federal tax returns, particularly those with income from controlled foreign corporations. The key change ensures New Mexico's tax calculation accounts for federal adjustments related to foreign income and depreciation, while applying standard apportionment rules to attributed income.

Maddy summarySB 30 repeals a state law requiring healthcare providers to report induced abortions to the New Mexico Department of Health. This change removes a specific data collection requirement that previously applied to abortion providers. The bill directly affects healthcare facilities and providers performing abortions, as they will no longer need to submit these reports. The key provision is the outright removal of Section 24-14-18 NMSA 1978 from state law, eliminating the reporting obligation without creating new requirements. The bill was referred to relevant committees and passed committee reports in early 2026.

Maddy summarySB 38 repeals a delayed repeal of fees charged to businesses registering pet food products in New Mexico. The bill removes a provision that would have postponed ending these fees until 2025, instead requiring the fees to end immediately. This directly affects pet food manufacturers and distributors that pay these registration fees, as it eliminates the remaining delay in ending the requirement. The bill does not change the fee amount or create new fees - it only accelerates the timeline for their removal.

Maddy summarySB 40, the "Driver Privacy and Safety Act," limits how law enforcement and private entities can share automated license plate reader (ALPR) data. It prohibits sharing ALPR information for immigration enforcement, investigating protected health care activities (like reproductive or gender-affirming care), or targeting constitutionally protected speech. The law makes ALPR data confidential (not public record), requires court orders for private data sales, and mandates quarterly reports to the attorney general on out-of-state data requests. Violations can result in $10,000 fines per incident.

Maddy summaryThis memorial requests the creation of a work group to study the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) fund's solvency, focusing on factors affecting retiree benefits and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). It directly affects approximately 30,000 New Mexico public retirees whose pensions have not kept pace with inflation since 2020 changes suspended COLAs and altered adjustment formulas. The work group will examine PERA's unfunded liability causes - such as investment underperformance and salary increases - evaluate COLA formulas tied to inflation, and recommend improvements to fund solvency without harming retiree benefits. The group, composed of finance experts and retirees, must report by December 2026. (Note: This is a procedural memorial requesting a study, not a policy change.)

Maddy summarySJR 7 is a joint resolution ratifying an exchange of property between the New Mexico General Services Department and the City of Santa Fe. It approves the state giving up five parcels of land (totaling ~19 acres) in Santa Fe's midtown area (valued at $6.5 million) for one city-owned parcel (34.97 acres) at 4491 Cerrillos Road. This exchange requires legislative approval under state law (NMSA 1978 §13-6-3) because the state property's value exceeds $550,000. The resolution was signed into law on February 27, 2026, after passing the Senate.