SB 95 prohibits antisemitic discrimination across New Mexico by amending the Human Rights Act. It defines "antisemitic" as hatred toward Jewish people (including verbal or physical acts against them or those perceived as Jewish, their property, or Jewish community spaces) and explicitly includes this form of bias under existing anti-discrimination protections. The bill applies to all entities covered by the Human Rights Act, including employers, public accommodations, government bodies, and their employees or contractors. It ensures individuals harmed by antisemitic discrimination can file claims through the established Human Rights Act process, without creating new enforcement mechanisms.
SB 146 amends New Mexico's Civil Rights Act to change how people can sue government entities for rights violations. It directly affects residents who claim government actions violated their constitutional rights, such as police misconduct or school policies. Key changes include: reducing the maximum total damages from $2 million to $750,000 per incident (with separate limits for property, medical costs, and other damages), shortening the filing deadline from 3 to 2 years, requiring written notice before suing, and banning double recovery from both this act and the Tort Claims Act. The bill also removes punitive damages and clarifies that government employees can't sue under this act for job-related issues.
