HB 322 creates two new transportation funds in New Mexico: the Transportation Trust Fund and the Transportation Program Fund. The Trust Fund receives annual distributions from electricity sales tax (starting at 1% and increasing to 2% over time) and adjusted motor vehicle tax revenues (shifting 30% to the Trust Fund after 2028). The Program Fund uses these funds to provide matching money for federal transportation infrastructure projects. Unspent capital project funds from the general budget also revert to the Trust Fund, ensuring ongoing revenue for transportation initiatives.
HB 321 amends New Mexico's Local Economic Development Act to explicitly include medical service providers as eligible entities for economic development incentives. This change allows clinics, hospitals, and other licensed health facilities (covered under medical practice laws like the Medical Practice Act) to qualify for programs such as tax credits, infrastructure grants, and public support. Previously, medical services weren't explicitly listed among qualifying entities like manufacturers or cultural facilities. The bill expands access to economic development resources for healthcare businesses across the state.
SB 248 appropriates $4 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2027 to establish an Indian Affairs Commission. The commission's purpose is to facilitate communication and consultation between New Mexico's Indian nations, tribes, and pueblos and the federal government. The bill directly affects tribal nations within New Mexico by creating a state-led mechanism for federal coordination. Funding expires at year-end with unspent balances reverting to the general fund.
SB 254 appropriates $2.8 million from the general fund to the New Mexico Department of Information Technology for fiscal year 2027 and beyond. The funds cover subscriber fees for municipal, county, and tribal public safety agencies (including those providing law enforcement, fire, medical, and emergency services) using the state's digital trunked radio communications system. Unspent funds will not revert to the general fund, ensuring ongoing support for these agencies' critical communication needs.
SB 213 indexes New Mexico's gasoline tax, weight distance tax (for commercial vehicles), and special fuel excise tax to inflation starting July 1, 2028. It requires annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), calculated by multiplying the current rate by (previous year's CPI / 2026 CPI), rounded down to the nearest cent, while ensuring rates never drop below the previous year's level. This directly affects gasoline retailers, commercial trucking companies, and businesses using special fuels (like diesel or propane) by tying tax rates to inflation rather than fixed amounts. The bill updates existing tax statutes to implement this automatic adjustment mechanism, preventing the real value of these taxes from eroding over time.
HB 289 clarifies how New Mexico allocates transportation funding to school districts and state-chartered charter schools, requiring that funds cover the full route cost - including miles traveled to pick up the first student and return the bus after dropping off the last student. It establishes a new calculation method using a base amount for all districts plus a variable amount based on historical transportation costs, site characteristics, and operational days. If a district’s allocation exceeds required transportation costs, 50% of the excess must go to a transportation emergency fund, and at least 25% must be used for transportation services (excluding salaries). The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 218 appropriates $5 million from the state general fund to construct, equip, and furnish a regional emergency operations center in Los Alamos County. The funding must be spent by the end of fiscal year 2027, with any unspent balance reverting to the state treasury. This bill directly provides state resources for emergency response infrastructure in Los Alamos County, supporting local preparedness and coordination during crises.
SB 217 modifies New Mexico's liquor excise tax system. It imposes a new surtax on liquor retailers and redirects the revenue to create a dedicated Tribal Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund, which will receive 5% of liquor excise tax revenue starting July 2019. The bill also amends definitions to exclude liquor excise taxes from the calculation of "gross receipts" for other state taxes. This directly affects liquor retailers (through the surtax), tribal governments (receiving new funding), and local governments (which will see adjusted allocations for alcohol treatment services and drug courts). The changes are purely procedural, reallocating existing tax revenue streams rather than creating new taxes or services.
SB 225 appropriates $33 million from the state general fund for fiscal year 2027 to establish tribal liaison programs in participating county clerk offices across New Mexico. The bill directly affects counties that choose to join the program and their Native American residents by requiring these offices to provide nonpartisan voter education, translation services, and voter registration drives. Key provisions include mandatory funding allocation for these specific services to ensure equal access to the electoral process, with any unspent funds reverting to the general fund by the end of 2027. The program aims to improve electoral participation for Native American communities through localized, county-level support.
SB 310 appropriates $1,100,000 from the general fund to the Department of Environment for planning, designing, and constructing improvements to the Mora Mutual Domestic Water Consumers and Mutual Sewage Association water system in Mora County. The funds are specifically allocated for upgrades to this local water and sewage system serving residents in Mora County, with any unspent balance reverting to the general fund by fiscal year 2027. This is a funding bill, not a policy change, directly affecting the Mora County water association and its customers.
