HB 36, the Accessibility Act, creates the Office of Accessibility within New Mexico's Department of Health to improve access for people with disabilities in state services. The Office will develop accessibility standards, provide training to state agencies on digital and physical accessibility, and assist agencies in identifying barriers in websites, apps, and facilities. State agencies must annually report their accessibility efforts to the Office, which will then issue public reports detailing progress, barriers, and recommendations to the governor and legislature. The bill appropriates $350,000 for the Office's operations during fiscal years 2026-2027.
HB 127 requires the New Mexico Medical Board to grant expedited licenses to physicians already licensed in other U.S. states, territories, or foreign countries who meet all other licensing criteria. It also mandates the creation of a public registry for out-of-state telehealth providers, requiring them to maintain active licenses elsewhere, carry professional liability insurance, and avoid physical offices or in-state patient interactions in New Mexico. The bill directly affects out-of-state physicians seeking to practice medicine or provide telehealth services in New Mexico, and imposes new administrative duties on the Medical Board. Key provisions include standardized application requirements for the registry, public disclosure of provider details, and mandatory reporting of disciplinary actions against their out-of-state licenses. The bill repeals an outdated section of existing law to implement these changes.
HB 256 requires all New Mexico schools to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available during school athletic events. It mandates schools to create cardiac emergency response plans, install and maintain AEDs, and ensure they are clearly marked and accessible. The bill applies to all public non-charter high schools (by 2026-2027) and elementary, middle, charter, and private schools (by 2027-2028). Key provisions include requiring evidence-based response plans, AED maintenance, and staff training aligned with American Heart Association standards.
House Memorial 36 requests the New Mexico Board of Nursing to create a task force addressing the state's nursing shortage crisis. The task force would include representatives from nursing organizations, hospitals, nursing education groups, and high schools, and must identify barriers to nursing education enrollment, program expansion, and nurse retention. It requires the task force to report findings and recommendations to health and finance legislative committees by specific deadlines. This memorial directly affects the Board of Nursing and participating healthcare organizations, aiming to improve nursing workforce planning without creating new laws.
This memorial (HM 31) requests New Mexico's Health Care Authority to reevaluate its rule limiting home health agencies to serving patients within 100 miles of their licensed location. The current rule creates barriers for rural, frontier, and tribal communities - especially those facing geographic isolation and workforce shortages - by restricting agency service areas. The memorial asks the Authority to align home health service rules with existing personal care services policies, which allow broader service areas, to improve access to medically necessary home care. It specifically prioritizes communities impacted by radiation exposure (e.g., uranium miners) and those on Navajo Nation lands. As a memorial, it does not change law but urges regulatory review to address access gaps.
This House Memorial (HM 35) requests New Mexico's Health Care Authority to develop a Medicaid state plan amendment creating a pediatric palliative care benefit. It would allow children with serious, complex, or life-limiting conditions to receive supportive palliative care - including pain management, family support, and 24/7 nurse access - alongside curative treatments, without requiring a shift to hospice care. The benefit would be modeled on a 2024 UNM study, including specific quality measures and payment structures for providers. This would directly affect families of medically complex children in New Mexico who currently face barriers to accessing coordinated care under existing Medicaid rules.
HB 306 prohibits hospitals from charging patients facility fees for preventive care, vaccinations, and telehealth services starting January 1, 2027. It exempts critical access hospitals, rural sole community hospitals, and emergency department services (both hospital-based and freestanding). The bill requires hospitals to notify patients about potential facility fees before appointments and during care, display bilingual signage, and provide itemized bills showing these charges. Hospitals must also report facility fee data to the state's All-Payer Claims Database for transparency and analysis.
HB 66 updates New Mexico's health professional loan repayment program. It creates a Health Professions Advisory Committee to select recipients of loan repayment awards, replacing the previous commission. The bill requires applicants to be licensed health professionals currently practicing in New Mexico or to agree to relocate and begin practice there. The Higher Education Department will determine award amounts and administer the program, with new criteria for selecting applicants and allowing fees if recipients breach their service agreements. This affects health professionals seeking repayment for education loans in exchange for practicing in the state.
HB 156 would repeal specific vaccination-related provisions from New Mexico's 2025 First Special Session laws (Laws 2025, 1st S.S., Ch. 5, §§ 8-13). These repealed sections would have otherwise taken effect on July 1, 2026, governing certain vaccination policies. The bill removes these provisions from state law, effectively eliminating the requirements they established. As of now, the bill has passed committee hearings but remains pending legislative action.
HB 38 requires New Mexico health insurance plans to cover wheelchairs and activity chairs for individuals with permanent mobility-limiting conditions (such as paralysis, limb loss, or neuromuscular disorders) without more restrictive terms than other medical benefits. The bill mandates coverage equivalent to Medicare standards, including all necessary services like fittings, repairs, replacements, and instruction, while prohibiting separate cost-sharing or lifetime limits for these devices. It also ensures insurers must cover out-of-network providers when in-network options are unavailable and reimburse at in-network rates. This applies to all group health plans under the Health Care Purchasing Act.
