Rep. Pamelya Herndon

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 44 requests the Legislative Education Study Committee to examine family engagement practices in New Mexico public schools during the 2026 interim. The study will assess current frameworks, identify systemic barriers preventing meaningful family involvement (especially for historically marginalized communities), review evidence-based models, and analyze teacher training opportunities. It will culminate in recommendations for systemic improvements, including potential funding for family liaisons and professional development. This procedural memorial does not enact policy but seeks a data-driven foundation for future action affecting all public school families and educators.

Maddy summaryHB 297 allocates $2.4 million from the state general fund to the University of New Mexico's Board of Regents for Project ECHO's literacy support programs. The funding will directly support educators in New Mexico schools by providing training and resources to improve literacy instruction methods. It covers fiscal years 2027 through 2029, with any unspent funds returning to the state treasury by 2029. This is a funding bill focused on enhancing educator capacity, not a policy change affecting broader public law.

Maddy summaryHB 333 allows defendants who win libel, slander, or privacy lawsuits to recover triple damages and legal fees from the plaintiff if the lawsuit was based on a true statement the defendant made about their own experience with sexual assault, sexual harassment, or unlawful discrimination - and the statement was made without malice. It applies only to cases where the plaintiff sued over the defendant’s personal experience with these specific issues. The law creates a financial penalty for plaintiffs who bring such claims without factual basis. This directly affects defendants in these limited types of lawsuits who successfully defend against claims about their own sensitive experiences.

Maddy summaryHB 288 appropriates $450,000 from the general fund to the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department for the Historic Women Marker Program, to be spent over fiscal years 2026-2029. The funding expands the program’s implementation, which places markers commemorating significant New Mexico women in public spaces. Unspent funds by the end of 2029 will revert to the general fund. This bill directly affects the Cultural Affairs Department’s operations and honors women whose historical contributions are recognized through these markers.

Maddy summaryHB 323 appropriates $5 million from the general fund to the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion for fiscal year 2027 and beyond. It directly assists low-income residents living in unincorporated areas, small municipalities (under 20,000 population), or tribal lands (reservations, pueblos, or trust lands) to access affordable broadband service. The bill mandates that unspent funds carry over annually instead of reverting to the general fund. This funding mechanism aims to expand broadband access in underserved communities without requiring additional annual appropriations.

Maddy summaryHB 283 permits qualified medical cannabis patients to use cannabis within most New Mexico healthcare facilities (like hospitals and clinics), but prohibits smoking or vaping and requires facilities to store cannabis in locked containers. Healthcare facilities must create written guidelines for safe storage and use, while excluding facilities primarily treating substance use disorders. The bill allows facilities to temporarily suspend compliance if federal agencies like the DOJ or CMS initiate enforcement actions or issue prohibitions. This directly affects both patients seeking medical cannabis and healthcare providers managing facility operations under state law.

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 65 requests New Mexico's Department of Health and Public Safety to create a task force focused on researching firearm safety policies to reduce gun violence in the state. The task force will examine specific areas like firearm licensing, magazine restrictions, and links between alcohol misuse and gun violence, including policies for prohibiting firearm access based on prior offenses. It will include health officials, law enforcement, schools, community groups, and tribal representatives, and must submit findings to lawmakers by September 2026. This is a procedural resolution (not a law) seeking research and recommendations, not implementing new policies.

Maddy summaryHB 98 increases the minimum hourly wage for New Mexico state employees to $15 starting July 1, 2027, with future annual adjustments tied to the consumer price index. It also establishes new annual leave accrual rates based on years of service (ranging from 4.62 to 7.39 hours per pay period) and mandates 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for eligible employees beginning July 2027. The bill requires state agencies to create remote work programs to improve recruitment and retention, particularly for rural New Mexico residents, while maintaining performance standards. These changes apply to all state employees except student workers and may be superseded by existing collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summaryHB 129 requires New Mexico health insurance carriers to include all licensed health care providers (such as doctors, therapists, and specialists) within their legal scope of practice in coverage plans. It applies to group health plans, individual insurance policies, health maintenance organizations, and nonprofit health plans, effective July 1, 2026. The bill does not force insurers to contract with specific providers but mandates that if a provider is licensed to practice in New Mexico, they must be included in coverage plans. Insurers may still set different reimbursement rates based on quality or performance measures.

Maddy summarySB 50 removes annual in-service training requirements for certified police officers and telecommunicators in New Mexico. It specifically eliminates the need for yearly refreshers on topics like domestic abuse incident training, child abuse incident training, mental health interaction, crisis de-escalation, and trauma kit use that were previously mandated under existing law. The bill retains basic training requirements but reduces the frequency of mandatory annual updates for officers and telecommunicators. This directly affects all certified law enforcement personnel and public safety telecommunicators statewide. The change streamlines training obligations without altering the core curriculum content for initial certification.