Maddy summarySB 11, the Nurse Loan Repayment Act, creates a state fund to repay student loans for New Mexico nurses working in designated underserved areas or as nursing educators. It directly affects licensed registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who commit to four years of service in areas identified by the state as lacking sufficient nursing staff. The program provides up to $35,000 in total loan repayment ($7,500 annually for two years and $10,000 for the next two), with payments made directly to lenders. Nurses must meet eligibility criteria (NM license, U.S. citizenship/permanent residency, and service in designated areas or as faculty/preceptors), and non-compliance requires repayment of the award plus 15% interest. The bill excludes state loan-for-service programs, scholarships, and personal loans from eligibility.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 67 requires courts issuing domestic violence protection orders to mandate that restrained parties immediately surrender all firearms in their possession or control to law enforcement or a federal firearms licensee. This applies to all protection orders, with courts permitted to allow alternative surrender methods or timing if needed. The bill also mandates law enforcement to provide written receipts to both the restrained party and the petitioning party within 72 hours, detailing surrendered firearms and filing copies with the court. It directly affects individuals subject to domestic violence protection orders and law enforcement agencies handling firearm surrenders.
Maddy summarySB 109 prevents utilities from recovering costs related to abandoning power plants if they later build new natural gas resources. Specifically, it blocks qualifying utilities from applying for financing orders to recover energy transition costs (like employee severance, decommissioning, and mine reclamation) through energy transition bonds if they construct new natural gas facilities. The bill amends existing law to deny this cost-recovery mechanism for utilities abandoning generating facilities while developing new natural gas infrastructure. This directly affects utilities seeking to transition away from certain power sources while expanding natural gas operations.
Maddy summarySB 57 creates two new offenses for peace officers who conceal their identity during official duties: a misdemeanor for basic concealment (hiding face/badge/name during a search/seizure) and a fourth-degree felony for intentional deception (e.g., to intimidate or interfere with public records). It also expands impersonation laws to cover all federal/state/local officers and restricts private bail bond agents from impersonating police - banning government-style uniforms, badges, or titles like "federal" and prohibiting their use in immigration enforcement without a warrant. Bail agents may only display "Bail Enforcement Agent" on clothing but cannot disclose personal information for immigration purposes without legal authorization. The bill directly affects peace officers and private bail enforcement personnel in New Mexico.
Maddy summarySB 52 (PERA Cost-of-Living Adjustments) changes how cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for New Mexico public retirement pension recipients. It requires that starting July 1, 2027, pension increases equal the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) COLA rate determined by the federal government each year, instead of the previous method. This directly affects retirees who meet specific duration requirements (e.g., retired for 2 years, or age 65+ for 1 year), as well as survivor beneficiaries. The bill appropriates $50 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2027 to fund these adjustments, with unspent funds carrying forward to future years.
Maddy summaryThis New Mexico bill (SB 17) requires gun dealers to implement security measures like alarms, reinforced doors, and video surveillance to prevent thefts, and mandates background checks for employees handling firearms. It prohibits sales of "extremely dangerous weapons" (including certain .50 caliber rifles and modified semiautomatic firearms) and requires dealers to report crime gun traces, multiple sales, and thefts. Dealers must also maintain detailed records and post safety notices for firearm purchasers. The bill passed the Senate in February 2026 but remains pending in the House.
Maddy summarySB 55 increases New Mexico's income tax credit for solar energy installations to 30% of the cost (up from 10%), with a maximum annual credit of $15,000 per taxpayer. It applies directly to homeowners, businesses, and agricultural operations that install qualifying solar thermal or photovoltaic systems in New Mexico. Taxpayers can transfer their unused credit to another taxpayer, and the state will cap total annual credits at $30 million to prevent overspending. The bill takes effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2026, and expires for tax years ending before 2032.
Maddy summaryHB 109 changes how New Mexico prioritizes water projects funded through the Water Project Fund. It requires the Finance Authority to use a new scoring system evaluating factors like project urgency (based on regional water plans), availability of matching funds, permit readiness, regional impacts, and improvements to water quality or quantity. Crucially, the bill allows the Authority to fund projects without annual legislative approval until December 31, 2028, after which a two-thirds majority vote in both legislative chambers would be needed to extend this exemption. The bill also specifies fund structure details, including dedicated allocations for water rights adjudications.
Maddy summarySB 40, the "Driver Privacy and Safety Act," limits how law enforcement and private entities can share automated license plate reader (ALPR) data. It prohibits sharing ALPR information for immigration enforcement, investigating protected health care activities (like reproductive or gender-affirming care), or targeting constitutionally protected speech. The law makes ALPR data confidential (not public record), requires court orders for private data sales, and mandates quarterly reports to the attorney general on out-of-state data requests. Violations can result in $10,000 fines per incident.
Maddy summarySenate 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.