New Mexico Bills

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 259: ACTUARIAL REVIEW OF HEALTH LEGISLATION

HB 259 creates a process for optional actuarial reviews of New Mexico health care bills that could change insurance coverage requirements. The Legislative Finance Committee must hire qualified contractors to analyze proposed bills, estimating impacts like affected residents, premium changes, and cost shifts for consumers and health insurers. Legislators can request up to two reviews per party per chamber annually, with reports published online by January 1 each year. The bill appropriates $100,000 for this purpose in fiscal year 2027, focusing on data-driven analysis rather than altering coverage directly.

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 89: COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER LICENSURE

HB 89 establishes a new computer science teaching endorsement in New Mexico, allowing educators to teach computer science at all grade levels. To qualify, teachers must meet one of several requirements, including 15 college credits in computer science, two years of industry experience, or 60 hours of relevant professional development. The bill appropriates $250,000 for quantum computing-focused professional development to support teachers seeking or maintaining this endorsement. This requirement directly affects current and future New Mexico teachers who wish to add computer science to their teaching license.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SM 11: IMPORTANCE OF WATER TO TAOS

This Senate Memorial (not a bill) requests the Water Quality Control Commission to prioritize a petition from Taos County regarding the reuse of treated oil/gas wastewater (produced water) for industrial uses, including supporting data centers. It asks the Commission to review the petition within 90 days and hold hearings in Questa, Taos County, to enable this reuse. The memorial aims to protect freshwater resources by reducing demand on them for growing industries, while acknowledging rural communities' leadership in water stewardship. It does not create new law but urges state agencies to act on the petition. The focus is on using treated produced water instead of freshwater for economic development in rural areas.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 91: TRAFFIC VIOLATION PENALTIES

SB 91 requires New Mexico municipalities to retain all fines collected from traffic violations (like speeding or red light offenses) instead of sending them to the state. It caps these fines at $100 per violation and mandates that cities with over 200,000 residents send half of the net collected revenue to the state general fund, while keeping the rest for local traffic safety programs and administrative costs. Smaller cities follow similar rules but without specific vendor fee deductions. The bill also requires annual audits to ensure proper fund usage and adds clear hearing options for drivers contesting violations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 62: RENAME & CREATE GEOTHERMAL TAX CREDITS

HB 62 renames New Mexico's geothermal electricity generation tax credits to "geothermal energy production" credits and establishes a tiered credit system based on kilowatt-hour output. It provides tax credits ranging from $0.015 to $0.035 per kWh (increasing over the first five years then decreasing), capped at 200,000 megawatt-hours per facility annually. The bill limits total annual credits to $55 million, reserving $11 million for tribal and small businesses, and allows credit transfers between taxpayers. This directly affects geothermal energy producers in New Mexico who own facilities generating electricity from geothermal resources.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 17: ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS IN CERTAIN AREAS

HB 17 allows homeowners in New Mexico to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs), such as small apartments or cottages on the same property as a primary residence, in residential zoning districts. The bill requires local governments to permit at least one ADU per residential lot without imposing owner-occupancy rules, extra fees, or more than one parking space per unit. It also permits multifamily housing (like duplexes) in commercial districts and areas near public transit stops or rail stations. ADUs must be independent living units with separate entrances, cooking, and sanitation facilities, and cannot exceed 1,000 square feet in size. This law aims to increase housing options by streamlining the process for adding secondary units to existing properties.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 199: FUND DISBURSEMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL RADIO

SB 199 expands an existing fund to cover radio equipment replacement at state educational institutions. It amends the law to explicitly allow disbursements from the Educational Television Equipment Replacement Fund for radio stations operated by New Mexico's public schools or state universities, alongside existing television equipment. The bill does not create new funding but clarifies that current disbursement procedures - administered by the Higher Education Department and paid via state warrant - apply to radio equipment. This directly affects state colleges and public schools operating educational radio stations.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 185: INCREASE GASOLINE TAX

SB 185 increases New Mexico's gasoline tax from 17 cents to 20 cents per gallon, effective July 1, 2026. This change directly affects all drivers and businesses purchasing gasoline within the state, as the tax applies to every gallon received in New Mexico. The bill amends Section 7-13-3 of the state tax code to update the excise tax rate. The policy change is a straightforward rate adjustment with no additional provisions or exemptions described in the bill text.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 154: INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR WILDFIRE & FLOODS

SB 154 requires New Mexico property insurance policies that cover wildfire damage to also include coverage for related flood damage, landslides, debris flows, mudflows, or similar events for five years after a wildfire is controlled. This directly affects homeowners and property owners in New Mexico whose insurance policies cover wildfire risks. The bill mandates that insurers automatically include these related flood events in coverage for policies issued on or after July 1, 2026. It does not change existing coverage for standalone flood events but extends wildfire policy protection to linked post-wildfire hazards. The law applies only to new policies after the effective date, not existing coverage.

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 47: FOOD RECOVERY & COMPOSTING ACT

SB 47, the "Food Recovery and Composting Act," creates a state program within New Mexico's Department of Environment to advance food recovery and composting. It establishes a Food Recovery and Composting Advisory Group with diverse representation (including tribes, municipalities, and industry) to guide grant funding and programming. The bill imposes a $3-per-ton surcharge on solid waste disposal (reduced to $2/ton for facilities with on-site composting) to fund a dedicated "Food Recovery and Composting Fund," which will support grants for eligible entities like counties, tribes, and composting facilities starting January 2027. These grants will finance initiatives such as pilot programs, education, and infrastructure for reducing organic waste and expanding composting.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 196: LAS VEGAS ANIMAL CARE CENTER PROGRAMS

SB 196 allocates $2.5 million from the state general fund for fiscal year 2027 to fund spay/neuter programs, veterinary care, and facility improvements at the Las Vegas Animal Care Center. The bill directly affects the center's operations by providing funding for essential animal health services and infrastructure upgrades. It requires the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration to contract these services, with any unspent funds reverting to the general fund by year-end. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, focused on supporting animal welfare services at a specific municipal facility.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 205: TOXICOLOGY REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS

SB 205 requires New Mexico's Medicaid program to reimburse independent reference laboratories for toxicology testing (like drug screening) at rates matching the average Medicaid fee-for-service rate for drug testing. It mandates reimbursement only when tests are medically necessary (as determined by a provider) and follow evidence-based protocols, including specific frequency guidelines: weekly for new substance use disorder treatment, monthly for stable recovery, and randomized testing when appropriate. The bill defines "independent reference laboratories" as those not affiliated with hospitals, insurers, or physician groups, and appropriates $100,000 for administration in fiscal year 2027. This affects Medicaid patients receiving substance use disorder treatment, the laboratories providing tests, and the state's Medicaid authority.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results