New Mexico Bills | MyRepTracker

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 51: DETENTION CENTER EMPLOYEES OPPORTUNITIES

This House Memorial (HM 51) requests state departments to study how to support workers and repurpose detention facilities if contracts with U.S. immigration authorities end. It directs the Economic Development and Workforce Solutions departments to explore new job opportunities for affected employees, while the Corrections, Children/Youth/Families, and Health Care departments must examine alternative uses for the facilities (e.g., healthcare, community services). The studies, due by October 1, 2026, aim to address potential economic impacts on communities near Cibola, Otero, and Torrance County detention centers. As a procedural memorial, it does not enact new law but seeks planning for possible future changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 61: STUDY SCHOOL STAFF COMPENSATION

This memorial requests the Legislative Education Study Committee to examine compensation for non-teaching school staff (like bus drivers, custodians, and food service workers), statewide cost of living, and housing availability. It directs the committee to study potential solutions, including salary adjustments based on experience or staffing needs, and gather input from school districts, unions, and state agencies. The study must report findings to the legislature by October 31, 2026. This is a procedural request for analysis, not a policy change, and does not directly alter current wages or laws.

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SM 30: STUDY HIGHWAY 491 PROBLEMS

Senate Memorial 30 requests the New Mexico Department of Transportation and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau to study safety and maintenance issues on U.S. Highway 491. The study must analyze road conditions, traffic patterns (including commercial trucks, school buses, and pedestrians), accident data, environmental hazards like sandstorms, and enforcement practices. It requires specific data collection on mile-by-mile road conditions, traffic counts, accident locations, and enforcement stops, with recommendations due by November 2026. The study directly affects drivers, school children traveling along the route, pedestrians, and the Navajo Nation, which shares jurisdiction over the highway corridor. This procedural request does not enact new laws but seeks data to inform future safety improvements.

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 43: STUDY FRAMEWORK FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL RANKINGS

This memorial (not a bill) requests a study to examine how New Mexico public schools are ranked compared to other states, specifically focusing on using the Lexile framework for measuring reading proficiency. It asks the Legislative Education Study Committee and Public Education Department to analyze school ranking methodologies, including Lexile data already collected across all New Mexico schools and available in 42 states. The study would compare factors like student achievement, graduation rates, funding, and school safety to determine if current rankings fairly reflect New Mexico's educational performance relative to national peers. The goal is to understand if consistent metrics like Lexile could provide a more accurate picture of school performance, rather than changing existing ranking systems.

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SM 32: FOSTER CARE STUDENTS TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS

Senate Memorial 32 requests the Legislative Finance Committee to study transportation barriers for students in foster care. It specifically examines current challenges school districts face in funding transportation to keep these students in their schools of origin, including unclear reimbursement processes and gaps in state and federal funding. The study will analyze existing barriers, review recent proposals (like reimbursing travel costs for foster families), and identify how to ensure consistent funding. This memorial does not create new law but aims to inform future policy decisions by the committee. It affects foster care students, school districts, and child welfare agencies by addressing a key factor in their school attendance.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 39: SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS TASK FORCE

This House Memorial (HM 39) requests that New Mexico's Secretary of Public Safety and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs convene a task force to study the state's sexual assault examination kit processing system. The task force, including representatives from law enforcement, healthcare, and victim services, must report by July 2026 on backlog progress, service adequacy for survivors, and potential solutions. It directly affects state agencies managing forensic evidence and sexual assault programs, aiming to address delays in processing kits. The memorial does not create new law but mandates a review to improve handling of these critical forensic tools.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 29: CONDEMNING INVASION OF VENEZUELA

This is a fictional legislative bill (HM 29) created for illustrative purposes, as it references events that have not occurred (e.g., a 2026 U.S. invasion of Venezuela under President Trump). The bill is a **non-binding memorial** (not a law) formally condemning a fictional U.S. military action against Venezuela, including the alleged seizure of President Maduro. It does not create new policies or affect any real individuals or entities, as it describes an invented scenario. The document primarily expresses symbolic disapproval and calls for a transition to democratic governance in Venezuela, with no enforceable provisions. No real legislative action on this bill exists, as it is part of a hypothetical example.

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 63: EXPAND CHIROPRACTIC SCOPE OF PRACTICE

This House Memorial expresses support for expanding the scope of practice for certified advanced practice chiropractors in New Mexico to include primary care services. It aims to address the state's primary care shortage - especially in rural and underserved areas - by allowing chiropractors who already have advanced training and limited prescriptive authority to provide primary care under a two-tiered certification system developed by the New Mexico Chiropractic Association. The memorial urges the chiropractic board to establish standards for training and oversight to ensure safe care delivery, without creating new legal authority for chiropractors. As a non-binding memorial, it does not change existing law but encourages regulatory development.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 235: MICROGRID OVERSIGHT ACT

SB 235, the Microgrid Oversight Act, requires microgrids (systems generating at least 20 megawatts that can operate independently or connected to the grid) to transition to 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045 through a renewable portfolio standard. Microgrid owners must report annually on energy generation (by source), water use, and compliance status, while electric utilities cannot raise rates to cover microgrid infrastructure costs. The law directly affects microgrid operators and electric utilities, imposing new reporting obligations and prohibiting rate increases tied to microgrid development. It creates a framework for oversight by the Public Regulation Commission, ensuring microgrids meet renewable energy targets without passing infrastructure costs to customers.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

passed · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 306: HIGHER ED REGIONAL DISTINCTION

SB 306 eliminates the distinction between regionally and nonregionally accredited private colleges and universities in New Mexico by requiring all private post-secondary institutions to obtain a "license" from the Higher Education Department instead of the previous "registration" process for regionally accredited schools. The bill updates all relevant laws to use "licensure" uniformly, mandating annual applications, submission of curriculum and financial information, and payment of a department-set fee. This affects every private college, university, and career school operating in New Mexico that is not publicly funded, creating a single oversight system for all institutions.

passed · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 371: PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE

The context provided does not include the actual text or provisions of HB 371. Without specific details about the bill's content, mechanisms, or policy changes, a factual summary cannot be created. The title ("PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE") is a broad category and does not describe the bill's concrete actions. Legislative actions listed (e.g., withdrawal from committee) describe its procedural history, not its policy substance.

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HM 52: HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM AFFORDABILITY GROUP

House Memorial 52 (HM 52) requests New Mexico's Office of Superintendent of Insurance, with the Health Care Authority, to create a study group examining rising health insurance premiums. The group - composed of small employers, business representatives, insurers, and government officials - will study cost drivers (like healthcare claims, administrative expenses, and state taxes) affecting small businesses and individuals in the individual and small-group markets. It will evaluate affordability impacts and recommend solutions to improve premium affordability while maintaining access to quality care. The study group must submit findings to legislative committees by October 1, 2026.