GAME COMMISSION LAND ACQUISITIONS

SB 114 would change how New Mexico's State Game Commission acquires land or water rights for conservation purposes. The bill requires the commission to obtain approval from acequia associations, land grant communities, county commissioners, and the legislature before purchasing land or water rights. This adds multiple new approval steps to the existing process, directly affecting the commission's ability to expand game refuges, hatcheries, or public hunting grounds. The bill also includes new reporting requirements for these acquisitions. (Note: The bill was postponed indefinitely in June 2025 and remains pending.)