HB 158 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

MILITARY BASE PLANNING & IMPACT ACT

HB 158 creates the Military Base Impact Fund to provide grants for infrastructure projects in communities near military bases affected by potential closures, relocations, or job losses. It directly supports "defense communities" (municipalities, counties, or special districts within a 45-minute commute of a military base) by funding projects that help retain military facilities, replace lost defense jobs, or attract new defense-related employers. Grants cover up to 90% of project costs for infrastructure like roads, utilities, or facilities, with annual funding capped at $4 million. The bill repeals outdated military planning offices and requires the state to report on how funds are used to support military base economic stability.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed Apr 9, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

LV substitute → Final Version · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten to clarify its structure, update definitions, and expand the scope of the Military Base Planning and Impact Act. Key changes include reorganizing the short title, refining definitions of 'defense worker' and 'defense worker job' to better capture employment dependencies on military bases, and expanding the fund's purpose to include recruitment of new employers to replace those affected by base closures or reductions. The bill also adds specific duties for the commission to work with congressional delegations and advises the governor on measures to ensure continued military base presence in the state.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include not just existing defense workers but also those whose jobs are directly dependent on defense expenditures, and to facilitate recruitment of new employers to replace those affected by base closures or reductions.

DEFINITION

Definition of 'defense worker' was expanded to include employees of businesses that directly provide services or products to the Department of Defense whose jobs are directly dependent on defense expenditures.

New definition of 'defense worker job' was added to specify a permanent position authorized by the Department of Defense or held for more than twelve months.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the commission to work with the state's congressional delegation on matters relating to federal assigned base missions.

Added duty for the commission to advise the governor on measures necessary to ensure the continued presence of military bases in the state.

FISCAL

Expanded grant program purposes to include facilitating recruitment of new military missions or defense worker employers to replace those being closed, reduced, or relocated.

Added grant purpose to stimulate development or recruitment of private or public sector employers to replace actual or anticipated reduction in defense worker jobs due to base closures or reductions.

TECHNICAL

Removed bracketed and underscored markup material indicating draft changes, resulting in a cleaner final version of the bill text.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 22, 2025 · House Mar 6, 2025

How they voted

38–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Mar 22, 2025

D Democratic24

23 Yea 1

95% Yea

R Republican16

15 Yea 1

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 9, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Finance Committee

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Labor, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee & House Appropriations & Finance Committee

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors