Sen. Joe Cervantes

Maddy summarySB 505 requires all New Mexico law enforcement agencies - including campus police departments at public colleges and universities - to mandate body-worn cameras for officers during public interactions. It sets specific rules: cameras must activate during calls or encounters, cannot be turned off until after the encounter ends, and recordings must be kept for at least 120 days. Officers who fail to comply face a legal presumption of "bad faith" and potential liability for failing to preserve evidence. The bill is currently pending, having been postponed indefinitely in June 2025 after committee amendments.

Maddy summarySB 318 amends New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act to explicitly include firearms and destructive devices within the scope of consumer protection laws. The bill defines key terms like "firearm" (including handguns and rifles, but excluding antique firearms or construction tools) and "destructive device" (such as bombs, large-caliber weapons, or conversion devices), clarifying what falls under these categories for enforcement. It expands private legal remedies, allowing individuals to sue sellers for deceptive or unfair trade practices related to firearm sales - such as falsely claiming legality or misrepresenting products - under existing consumer protection statutes. The bill does not ban firearms but integrates them into the state's framework for addressing deceptive business conduct in sales.

Maddy summaryHJR 2 proposes a constitutional amendment to eliminate New Mexico's "pocket veto" power, meaning bills passed by the legislature automatically become law if the governor fails to act within three days (excluding Sundays). It also requires the governor to provide written explanations for any veto, whether partial or complete. This directly affects the governor and legislature by increasing legislative accountability and transparency in the veto process. The amendment would take effect only after voter approval at the next general election.

Maddy summaryHB 113 creates a state Animal Welfare Program to fund projects supporting domestic cats and dogs, with grants available to municipalities, counties, or nonprofit organizations. It establishes an Animal Welfare Trust Fund (funded by a $10 million one-time transfer from the General Fund) that distributes 5% annually to an Animal Welfare Program Fund, which awards competitive grants for specific initiatives like spay/neuter services, shelter improvements, cruelty enforcement, and low-income household support (income ≤200% of federal poverty level). Projects must address animal welfare needs such as reducing shelter intake, controlling strays, or providing emergency veterinary care. The program requires annual reporting to the legislature on funded projects, unmet requests, and administrative costs, starting October 1, 2028.

Maddy summarySB 364 updates New Mexico's law enforcement hiring standards by requiring all new peace officers, police officers, and state police members to either be U.S. citizens or have valid U.S. work authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the time of appointment. This applies to all law enforcement roles covered by the bill, including city police, county sheriffs, and state police. The bill amends existing statutes to replace the previous citizenship-only requirement with this dual standard, while maintaining other existing qualifications like age, education, background checks, and physical exams. It does not change other hiring criteria but adds this new work authorization requirement for eligibility.