Sen. Liz Stefanics

Maddy summaryHB 41 provides a temporary, additional 2% payment to eligible retired public employees under New Mexico's Public Employees Retirement Act (PERA) for fiscal years 2027 and 2028. It directly affects retirees who meet specific criteria, such as having retired for at least two years (or one year if over 65), disability retirees with one year of retirement, or survivor beneficiaries with two years of payments. The bill appropriates $70 million from the general fund to cover these payments, which are calculated as 2% of each recipient’s current pension amount (not compounded), with special provisions for retirees receiving under $25,000 annually or aged 75+.

Maddy summarySB 6 appropriates $546.6 million from New Mexico's general fund to the University of New Mexico's board of regents for constructing, equipping, and furnishing a new School of Medicine facility. The funds are allocated for fiscal years 2027 through 2030, with any unspent balance reverting to the general fund by 2030. This bill directly affects the University of New Mexico by enabling the physical development of its medical school infrastructure. It is a funding measure, not a policy change, and specifies concrete financial and timeline details for the construction project.

Maddy summaryHB 101 appropriates $200 million from New Mexico's general fund to the Department of Agriculture for a regional farm-to-food bank program. The bill directly affects food banks and agricultural producers by funding connections between farms and food distribution networks, aiming to reduce food waste and improve food access. Key provisions include allocating funds for fiscal year 2026 and future years with no requirement to return unspent balances to the general fund. The bill is declared an emergency to take effect immediately, prioritizing rapid implementation of the program.

Maddy summarySB 169 provides a temporary cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 1.68% annually for certain retired New Mexico public employees starting July 1, 2026, covering fiscal years 2027 and 2028. This applies to normal retirees over age 65 with at least two years of retirement, disability retirees, and eligible survivor beneficiaries. Additionally, the bill includes a higher 2.5% COLA for specific subgroups: retirees with 25+ years of service and pensions under $25,000, disability retirees in that pension bracket, and retirees who turned 75 before 2020. The $10 million appropriation from the state general fund covers these adjustments, with unspent funds remaining in the retirement system.

Maddy summarySB 46 appropriates $130,000 from the general fund to New Mexico's Department of Environment for fiscal year 2027. The bill directs the department to study opportunities for diverting organic waste (like food scraps and yard trimmings) from landfills and to conduct a waste characterization study assessing current waste types and quantities statewide. The department must report findings to the environmental legislative committee by June 30, 2027, with any unused funds reverting to the general fund. This bill focuses solely on researching potential waste diversion benefits, not implementing new waste management rules.

Maddy summaryHB 40 provides a temporary 2% additional payment to retired members receiving annuities under New Mexico's Educational Retirement Act for fiscal years 2027 and 2028. This payment, calculated as 2% of each retiree's current annual benefit amount (including prior cost-of-living adjustments), is non-compounding and separate from standard annual adjustments. It applies to all retired educators under the Act, excluding those on disability status or under specific retirement provisions. The bill does not alter existing cost-of-living adjustment rules but adds this short-term benefit for two years.

Maddy summaryHB 88 changes how funds from New Mexico's Land Grant-Merced Assistance Fund are distributed to eligible land grant communities. It raises the revenue threshold for full annual distributions from $50,000 to $100,000, creating new tiers: 75% distribution for $100,000-$250,000 revenue, 50% for $250,000-$500,000, and 25% for $500,000+ revenue. The bill also makes the fund "nonreverting," meaning undistributed funds no longer return to the general state fund. These changes directly affect land grant communities that meet compliance requirements, including having elected boards and audit certifications.

Maddy summarySB 52 (PERA Cost-of-Living Adjustments) changes how cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for New Mexico public retirement pension recipients. It requires that starting July 1, 2027, pension increases equal the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) COLA rate determined by the federal government each year, instead of the previous method. This directly affects retirees who meet specific duration requirements (e.g., retired for 2 years, or age 65+ for 1 year), as well as survivor beneficiaries. The bill appropriates $50 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2027 to fund these adjustments, with unspent funds carrying forward to future years.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $15 million from the state general fund to the Interstate Stream Commission for riverfront forest (bosque) management projects in the middle Rio Grande valley. The funds will cover planning, implementing, and maintaining these projects during fiscal years 2027 and 2028. Any unspent balance by the end of 2028 must revert to the general fund. The bill directly affects the commission and communities relying on the Rio Grande valley's ecological and recreational resources.

Maddy summaryHB 115 (New Mexico, 2026) adds specific protections for nurses who invoke "safe harbor" when they believe an assignment is unsafe or question a medical order. It requires healthcare facilities to establish clear processes for nurses to formally request safe harbor (including written documentation and supervisor notification), conduct post-occurrence reviews involving other nurses, and prohibits retaliation like demotion or termination for good-faith requests. The bill directly affects nurses and healthcare facilities by mandating structured procedures to address safety concerns without fear of punishment. It focuses on concrete policy changes: standardizing safe harbor requests, documenting them, and explicitly banning workplace retaliation against nurses who use the process.