Sen. Peter Wirth

Maddy summarySB 104 establishes a formal process for removing appointed members of New Mexico's State Wildlife Commission. It allows removal only for incompetence, neglect of duty, or misconduct in office, requiring the governor to provide written notice, a hearing opportunity, and the right to appeal to the Supreme Court. This bill directly affects current and future commission members, who must now meet due process standards before removal. The Supreme Court would have exclusive authority to review removal decisions, making its ruling final. The changes take effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 111 creates a tax credit for owners of local news printers (printing businesses serving local news organizations) to offset taxes based on wages paid to qualified employees. It provides up to $10,000 per full-time equivalent employee ($5,000 for part-time) working at least 25% of the year in New Mexico on newspaper production, with a total annual cap of $1 million across all claims. To qualify, printers must have operated for five years, employ at least five qualified workers, and meet specific ownership and operational requirements (e.g., not publicly traded). The credit applies to both individual and corporate income tax liabilities for taxable years before 2030.

Maddy summaryThis bill has no substantive text provided in the context. The bill title ("PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE") and basic procedural details (introduced by Sen. Peter Wirth, postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025) are listed, but no specific policy provisions, mechanisms, or affected parties are described. Without the actual bill language or summary of its content, a factual policy description cannot be provided. The bill appears stalled in committee with no enacted provisions documented.

Maddy summaryBased solely on the provided context, SB 522 has no substantive bill text or policy details included. The bill's title ("PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE") is broad but uninformative without specific provisions. It was introduced by Senator Peter Wirth in New Mexico's 2025 legislative session but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, after not being printed by the Senate Finance Committee. No concrete policy changes, affected groups, or mechanisms are described in the available information.

Maddy summarySJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to create a nine-member Citizen Commission on Legislative Salaries, independent of the legislature, to set and adjust lawmakers' salaries. The commission would review salaries every four years, require a five-vote majority for decisions, and submit reports to the secretary of state by October 1 (starting in 2028). This would replace New Mexico’s current per diem and mileage system for legislators with a fixed salary determined by the commission. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election and is currently pending, having been postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 141 proposes to increase New Mexico's corporate income tax rate from 5% to 6.9% and establish a $100,000 gross receipts threshold for out-of-state businesses to be subject to state taxation. It creates a new $100,000 deduction for businesses that did not claim tax credits or deductions in the previous year, provided they maintained business activity throughout that year. The bill also includes $100,000 in funding for tax administration software updates. This legislation, introduced by Senator Peter Wirth, was referred to committees but postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025, and would affect businesses with significant New Mexico sales activity.

Maddy summarySB 135 would amend New Mexico's reimbursement rules to allow state legislators who are not running for re-election (and thus not on a primary or general election ballot) to receive reimbursement for out-of-state travel related to legislative duties. Currently, such reimbursement is denied to legislators who haven't filed for re-election or were defeated in an election, but this bill creates an exception requiring approval by a three-fourths vote of the legislative council. The key mechanism mandates this council approval before reimbursement can be issued for eligible travel. This directly affects legislators who are term-limited or choosing not to seek re-election, ensuring they can travel for legislative business without losing reimbursement eligibility.

Maddy summarySB 156 adds a definition for "low-income customer" to New Mexico's Public Utility Act and exempts these customers from additional fees ("rate riders") imposed when new customers connect to utility systems. It directly affects low-income households using electricity, gas, or water services who qualify under the new definition. The bill's key mechanism is creating a formal definition for "low-income customer" and mandating that utilities exclude these households from certain cost-sharing fees. This change aims to reduce financial burdens on eligible low-income utility users by preventing them from paying extra costs tied to new infrastructure connections.

Maddy summaryHB 153, the "Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act," prevents New Mexico state entities from forcing journalists or their service providers to disclose protected information without court approval. It specifically bars compelled disclosure of sources, notes, or communications related to journalism unless a court finds, by preponderance of evidence, that disclosure is necessary to prevent terrorism or imminent violence threatening serious harm. The law requires courts to notify journalists before granting disclosure orders (with limited 45-day delays for urgent investigations) and mandates that any compelled information be narrowly tailored and relevant. It directly affects journalists, their personal devices/accounts, and service providers like telecom companies, while explicitly allowing investigations into journalists suspected of crimes unrelated to their work.

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.