SB 353 New Mexico Senate · 2025 Regular Session

SEARCH & RESCUE EMERGENCY RESPONSES

SB 353 establishes standardized protocols for notifying New Mexico's state search and rescue (SAR) control agency during emergencies. It requires emergency dispatchers, law enforcement, and public service staff at federal, state, and local agencies to immediately notify the state SAR control agency (Department of Public Safety) when a SAR emergency occurs, using clear reporting steps. The bill also mandates training for these personnel and specifies that agencies must notify requesters and relevant jurisdictions (like federal land managers) after activating SAR resources. This directly affects all emergency responders across New Mexico who handle SAR requests, aiming to streamline coordination without delaying other agency responses.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Signed Apr 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

CT substitute → Final Version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates New Mexico's Search and Rescue Act to establish standardized protocols for notifying state agencies during emergencies. It clarifies definitions for key roles and agencies involved in search and rescue operations, and creates a formal process for coordinating responses between state, local, federal, and tribal entities.

Scope change

The bill expands the formal coordination framework for search and rescue operations, making it applicable to all agencies involved in SAR emergencies across federal, state, local, and tribal jurisdictions.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a new requirement for the state SAR resource officer to create standardized criteria for notifying state agencies about SAR emergencies, including a consultation process with stakeholders.

Requires the state SAR control agency to notify requesting entities and other authorities when SAR resources are activated or when they cannot be deployed.

Requires the state SAR resource officer to provide training to emergency response entities, public safety answering points, and volunteer SAR organizations on reporting protocols.

DEFINITION

Updates and clarifies definitions for key terms including 'search and rescue', 'board', 'AFRCC', 'state SAR control agency', 'state SAR mission initiator', 'state SAR resource officer', 'field coordinator', 'civil air patrol', 'mission', 'chief', 'director', 'SAR emergency', and 'tribe'.

TIMELINE

Sets the effective date of the new provisions to January 1, 2026.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 8, 2025 · House Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

30–3

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

Mar 8, 2025

D Democratic24

20 Yea 4

83% Yea

R Republican16

10 Yea 3 Nay 3

62% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 8, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 21, 2025

Executive · Passed

Senate concurred in House amendments

executive

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee & Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors