HB 279 New Mexico House · 2026 Regular Session

HEALTHCARE PRIVACY & SAFETY PROTECTIONS

HB 279 strengthens privacy protections for patients seeking reproductive health care or gender-affirming care in New Mexico. It restricts the disclosure of health information related to these services, bans location tracking at facilities providing such care, and requires hospitals to follow updated licensing standards. The bill also allows providers to participate in the Confidential Substitute Address Act and imposes civil penalties for violations. These changes directly affect patients, healthcare providers, and facilities offering reproductive or gender-affirming care.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Mar 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → HC substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to strengthen privacy protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care providers by adding new restrictions on foreign subpoenas, prohibiting geofencing of provider facilities to track patients, and expanding the Confidential Substitute Address Act to explicitly include health care providers alongside domestic violence victims. The changes also modify hospital licensing requirements to ensure emergency services are provided regardless of payment ability.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include explicit protections for reproductive health care and gender-affirming health care providers, adding them as eligible participants in the Confidential Substitute Address Act alongside domestic violence victims.

REQUIREMENT

Added restrictions preventing foreign subpoenas from compelling disclosure of reproductive or gender-affirming health care information unless the individual consents or a court orders release.

Prohibited geofencing technology that could identify or track individuals engaged in protected health care activities at reproductive and gender-affirming health care provider facilities.

Modified hospital licensing requirements to mandate provision of abortion and sterilization procedures when medically necessary to stabilize patients with emergency medical conditions.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the Confidential Substitute Address Act to explicitly include protected health care providers as eligible participants alongside domestic violence victims.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'protected health care provider' and expanded the definition of 'emergency medical condition' to include pregnancy-related complications and gender-affirming care needs.

ENFORCEMENT

Added civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for intentional or reckless false attestations regarding foreign subpoena requests.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

not printed House Rules and Order of Business Committee

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Introduced

Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors