NATIVE AMERICAN DESIGNATION ON LICENSES
HB 20 requires New Mexico's Motor Vehicle Division to add a Native American designation to driver's licenses and identification cards when requested by applicants who provide tribal documentation. It directly affects Native American applicants in New Mexico who can verify tribal membership through an enhanced tribal card, tribal ID, certificate of Indian blood, or tribal/BIA affidavit. The bill mandates that the designation must not specify a particular tribe or pueblo, and cannot include personal information beyond what is needed to confirm tribal membership. This policy change allows tribal members to have their cultural identity recognized on official state IDs without revealing specific tribal affiliations.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 30, 2026
Last action Mar 24, 2026
Floor votes · House Feb 14, 2026
How they voted
62–3
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 66
Feb 14, 2026
D
Democratic40
100% Yea
R
Republican26
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
7
Key actions
4
Committee
3
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
DO PASS committee report adopted
upper
Feb 15, 2026
Introduced
Sent to Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee
upper
Feb 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
passed House
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
DO PASS committee report adopted
lower
Feb 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
DO PASS committee report adopted
lower
Jan 30, 2026
Introduced
Sent to House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee & House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee
lower
5 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Alan Martinez
RRepublican
P
Angel Charley
DDemocratic
P
Bill Hall
RRepublican
P
Joseph Hernandez
DDemocratic
P
Paulene Abeyta
DDemocratic
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