HB 352 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

CLOSE & RELOCATE CERTAIN MAGISTRATE COURTS

HB 352 reorganizes New Mexico's magistrate courts by closing certain local offices and consolidating operations in specific districts. It merges divisions in Grant (moving all operations to Silver City by 2027), relocates San Juan District courts from Farmington to Aztec (effective 2027), and adjusts locations for courts in McKinley, Santa Fe, Torrance, Dona Ana, and Lea counties. The bill changes where judges hold court sessions, modifies election districts for magistrate judges, and updates travel routes for judges serving satellite locations. These changes directly affect court operations and accessibility for residents in the affected counties.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Signed Apr 11, 2025

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What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill reorganizes magistrate court districts across New Mexico by closing some courts and relocating others. It reduces magistrates in the Grant District, consolidates Dona Ana and Lea Districts, and adjusts circuit riding schedules for Rio Arriba and other districts. The changes aim to streamline judicial operations and align court resources with population distribution.

Scope change

The bill modifies the geographic scope and operational structure of magistrate courts in multiple New Mexico districts, including closing courts in McKinley, Santa Fe, Torrance, Dona Ana, and Lea districts, and relocating courts in Grant and San Juan districts.

REQUIREMENT

Dona Ana District now has seven magistrates operating as a single court in Las Cruces, rotating to Anthony on a regular schedule.

Grant District magistrate count reduced from two to one, with the court relocating from Silver City and Bayard to Silver City only.

Lea District now has four magistrates with divisions operating in Hobbs, Eunice, and Lovington, with circuit riding to Hobbs as needed.

Magistrate judges in Lea District must now be elected by voters of their specific division rather than at-large from the entire district.

Santa Fe District now has four magistrates operating as a single court in Santa Fe.

Torrance District retains one magistrate with the principal court in Moriarty.

TIMELINE

Rio Arriba District magistrate count remains at two but circuit riding changes from Chama to Tierra Amarilla starting January 1, 2027.

SCOPE

McKinley District retains three magistrates operating as a single court in Gallup.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 19, 2025 · House Mar 8, 2025

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Mar 19, 2025

D Democratic24

23 Yea 1

95% Yea

R Republican16

14 Yea 2

87% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 11, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Finance Committee

upper

Mar 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors