HB 330 would add "AI Ethics" as an approved elective course option for New Mexico high school students to fulfill graduation requirements. Specifically, it amends the state's graduation standards (Section K(7)) to explicitly include AI Ethics among the valid electives alongside courses like career clusters, financial literacy, and media literacy. This change directly affects high school students seeking to meet their seven and one-half elective unit requirement for graduation. The bill does not alter other graduation requirements but expands the available course options students can choose to satisfy their elective needs.
HB 28, the Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act, requires businesses in New Mexico using AI for major decisions (like loans, jobs, housing, or healthcare) to notify consumers before AI influences those decisions. It mandates clear explanations for negative outcomes - including reasons, data used, and human oversight - and provides consumers a chance to correct data or appeal decisions reviewed by humans. The bill also forces AI chatbots ("companion products") to disclose their AI nature at the start of each conversation and prohibits misleading claims about being human. These requirements apply to all businesses operating in New Mexico using AI for consequential decisions, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 141, the Artificial Intelligence Accountability Act, requires large online platforms (with over 2 million U.S. monthly users) and AI content creators to label synthetic media. It mandates two types of disclosures: a visible "manifest" label (e.g., "AI-generated") for users and a hidden "latent" digital marker embedded in content with creator/tech details. The bill also obligates platforms to provide free public tools to detect content origins while protecting personal data, and prohibits sharing deceptive synthetic content that falsely depicts identifiable people without consent. These rules apply to AI-generated images, audio, and video, directly affecting major tech companies and device manufacturers producing cameras starting in 2028.
HB 22 makes it illegal to distribute non-consensual "sensitive deepfake images" in New Mexico - defined as digitally altered images depicting private body parts (like uncovered genitals or a woman's breast below the areola) or intimate acts. It expands existing privacy laws to cover these deepfakes, creating new criminal penalties (misdemeanor for first offense, felony for repeat offenses) and threatening to distribute such images. Victims can now sue for libel, slander, or invasion of privacy in civil court, recovering actual damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, and profits gained by the perpetrator. The law specifically targets non-consensual distribution, excluding platforms from liability for user content and clarifying that consent to create a deepfake doesn’t cover its distribution.
SB 68, the Artificial Intelligence Government Use Act, requires New Mexico's public bodies - including state agencies, counties, school districts, and other government entities - to establish policies for using artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision tools. These policies must ensure human employees make final decisions for consequential matters (like housing, employment, or health care), protect sensitive data, and prevent bypassing security protocols. Public bodies must also train employees on AI policies and appropriate use, with policies made available to the public upon request. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 83 appropriates $1.937 million from the general fund to the University of New Mexico's Accelerating Resilience Innovations in Drylands Institute for fiscal year 2027. The funding supports ecological monitoring of New Mexico's air, land, and water; develops an AI-powered statewide network to predict ecosystem vulnerabilities (including fire risk); creates resilience strategies for sustainable resource management; continues K-12 STEM education partnerships; and enhances tribal research collaboration. This bill directly affects the University of New Mexico, its research partners, K-12 schools, and tribal communities through these specific programs. The funding is limited to 2027, with unspent balances reverting to the general fund.
The Voice and Visual Likeness Rights Act establishes a new property right for New Mexico residents (including deceased individuals domiciled in the state) to control how their voice and visual likeness are used in digital replicas, such as AI-generated videos or audio. It requires written licenses for commercial use with specific limits: up to 10 years for adults, 5 years for minors (ending at age 18), and mandatory court approval for minor-related licenses. After death, the right must be registered with the state to be enforced and expires 70 years posthumously, with a 10-year window for transfer after death. The bill defines key terms like "digital replica" to clarify prohibited uses, such as unauthorized AI representations that materially alter original performances.
HB 174, the Chatbot Safety Act, regulates "companion artificial intelligence products" (AI chatbots designed for long-term emotional interaction) in New Mexico. It prohibits operators from using addictive engagement tactics (like variable rewards), simulating emotional distress to retain users, or misrepresenting the AI's identity. The bill requires clear real-time notifications that users are interacting with AI, mandatory crisis intervention protocols for suicide/self-harm risks, and annual reviews with mental health experts. These rules apply to developers and companies deploying such AI products in New Mexico, with violations treated as unfair trade practices enforceable by the Attorney General starting January 1, 2027.
