Healthcare

signed · New Mexico · House Mar 9, 2026

HM 35: PEDIATRIC PALLIATIVE & CONCURRENT CARE

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates new Medicaid benefit for pediatric palliative care, expanding coverage and access to supportive care without requiring hospice shift.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Healthcare Workforce Medicaid

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 277: SCOPE OF PRACTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

HB 277 creates a new Scope of Practice Advisory Committee within New Mexico's Department of Health to review proposed changes to healthcare professionals' scopes of practice. The 9-member committee - appointed by the governor and legislative council, including physicians, health experts, consumer advocates, and the Health Secretary - will evaluate requests from licensing boards or legislators. It assesses proposals based on patient safety, workforce training, rural access, costs, and regulatory consistency before voting to endorse, modify, or reject changes. The committee must publish reports detailing its findings and votes within 30 days of decisions, with $200,000 allocated for its 2027 operations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates committee to evaluate scope changes with patient safety and rural access as key factors, supporting safe expansion of healthcare services and professional practice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 321: MEDICAL SERVICES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credit eligibility for medical facilities under economic development programs, directly providing fiscal incentives to eligible entities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExplicitly expands economic incentives (tax credits, grants) to healthcare facilities under economic development programs, directly funding health infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Tags Economic Development

Track

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 275: GILA REGIONAL CANCER CENTER BONDS

HB 275 authorizes the New Mexico Finance Authority to issue revenue bonds totaling up to $5.7 million to fund cancer center improvements at the Gila Regional Medical Center in Grant County and Nor-Lea General Hospital in Lea County. The bonds will finance specific projects including facility upgrades, equipment purchases (like PET scanners), electronic health records systems, and chemotherapy clean rooms. Local officials from Grant County and the Nor-Lea hospital district must certify the need for funding before bonds can be issued, with proceeds directed to the medical centers for these designated purposes. The bill focuses on direct infrastructure and equipment investments for cancer treatment services in two rural New Mexico counties.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes $5.7M bonds for cancer center facility upgrades, equipment, and EHR systems, directly funding healthcare infrastructure improvements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 217: LIQUOR TAX CHANGES

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new surtax on liquor retailers, redirects 5% of liquor excise tax revenue to Tribal Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund, creating dedicated funding stream.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects liquor tax revenue to Tribal Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund, targeting alcohol-related public health issues under healthcare's public health programs.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Revenue Sales Tax

Track

signed · New Mexico · House Mar 9, 2026

HM 36: NURSING SHORTAGE TASK FORCE

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates task force to address nursing shortage by identifying barriers to education, enrollment, and retention, directly strengthening healthcare workforce stability and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

signed · New Mexico · Senate Feb 27, 2026

SM 20: STATEWIDE YOUTH VIOLENCE SUMMIT

Senate Memorial 20 (SM 20) requests the New Mexico Department of Health to convene a statewide youth violence summit focused on developing a comprehensive strategy to address youth violence. The bill directs the department to form a planning group including health, education, justice, and community stakeholders to organize the summit, which will gather research, share best practices, and identify gaps in current prevention efforts. The summit aims to produce a final report with recommendations for scaling community-based violence intervention programs, improving data collection, and proposing potential future legislation. This non-binding memorial directly affects state agencies and community organizations working on youth violence, with the goal of creating a unified statewide approach to improve youth safety outcomes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill directs NM Dept of Health to convene youth violence summit (public health issue) to develop prevention strategy, supporting public health program development.80% confidence

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 278: TOXICOLOGY REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS

HB 278 requires New Mexico's Medicaid program to reimburse independent reference laboratories for toxicology services (such as drug and alcohol testing) at the same rate as standard drug testing services under Medicaid's fee-for-service schedule. It mandates that these services be medically necessary and follow evidence-based protocols, including weekly testing for those starting substance use treatment and monthly testing for stable recovery, unless clinical documentation indicates otherwise. 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. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid reimbursement at standard rates for toxicology services, ensuring access to evidence-based substance use treatment testing under Medicaid coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Substance Abuse

Track

signed · New Mexico · House Mar 6, 2026

HB 306: PROHIBIT CERTAIN HEALTH CARE FACILITY FEES

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits facility fees for preventive care, vaccinations, and telehealth, improving patient access and reducing financial barriers to essential healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Primary Care Telehealth

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 336: USE OF FDA-APPROVED PSILOCYBIN

HB 336 amends New Mexico's Controlled Substances Act to exempt FDA-approved synthetic psilocybin or drugs containing it from Schedule I restrictions. If the federal FDA approves such synthetic psilocybin products, they become legally usable in New Mexico without state scheduling. The bill specifically targets synthetic versions (not natural psilocybin from mushrooms) and maintains existing exemptions for religious peyote use and hemp. This creates a pathway for medical or research use of federally approved synthetic psilocybin products once FDA clearance is obtained. The law does not affect current recreational or natural psilocybin regulations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts FDA-approved synthetic psilocybin for medical/research use, enabling new mental health treatment access under healthcare framework95% confidence

Track