SM 2 New Mexico Senate · 2025 Regular Session

WILDFIRE STUDY GROUP

Senate Memorial 2 (SM 2) is a procedural request asking the New Mexico Legislative Council to create a wildfire study group. The group, composed of 11 stakeholders including state agencies, utilities, tribal nations, local governments, and wildfire experts, will study wildfire risks and develop recommendations for prevention, response, and recovery. It will identify high-risk areas, improve emergency planning with utilities, and propose policies for safer communities and infrastructure, with a final report due by November 2025. This memorial does not create new laws but directs a collaborative effort to address wildfire challenges affecting all New Mexicans.

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Signed Mar 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly expanded from a basic request for a wildfire study group into a more comprehensive memorial that explicitly includes Indigenous nations, tribes, and pueblos as key stakeholders. The study group composition was increased from 11 to 14 members to better represent diverse stakeholders including state land office, insurance carriers, and rural electric cooperatives. The memorial now emphasizes tribal co-stewardship principles and indigenous knowledge systems in wildfire management decisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include Indigenous nations, tribes, and pueblos as essential stakeholders in wildfire management, recognizing their historical stewardship of New Mexico lands and incorporating their knowledge systems into policy development.

SCOPE

Added explicit recognition of Indigenous nations, tribes, and pueblos as stewarded lands since time immemorial with sacred mountains, watersheds, and cultural landscapes integral to their identity

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that co-management and co-stewardship principles recognize deep expertise of indigenous nations in sustaining health of lands, waters and ecosystems

Increased study group composition from minimum of 11 members to minimum of 14 members to include additional stakeholder representation

Added new members to study group including state land office, office of superintendent of insurance, and representative of state-based property insurance carrier trade association

Added requirement for a public member with expertise in wildfire science and technology appointed by secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources

Expanded list of recipients for memorial copies to include commissioner of public lands, chair of public regulation commission, secretary of Indian affairs, secretary of homeland security and emergency management, superintendent of insurance, president of New Mexico rural electric cooperatives, and presidents and chief executive officers of investor-owned electric utility companies

Added requirement that study group facilitate collaboration during wildfires among government agencies and Indian nations, tribes and pueblos

Floor votes · Senate Mar 11, 2025

How they voted

35–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 40

Mar 11, 2025

D Democratic24

21 Yea 3

87% 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

Mar 13, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

floor substitute adopted (1 amendment)

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Rules Committee & Senate Conservation Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors