Sen. Shannon Pinto

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 219, the Native American Ombud Act, creates an Office of the Native American Ombud within New Mexico's Department of Justice to address concerns from Native Americans. It directly affects Native Americans in New Mexico who are members of federally recognized tribes or eligible for federal Indian services, by providing a confidential channel to report issues with state services. Key mechanisms include requiring the ombud to investigate concerns, ensure staff are trained on Native American rights, prohibit retaliation for filing complaints, and mandate service providers to post information about the office. The bill also requires an annual report on concerns resolved and recommendations for improving services, with $2 million in state funding allocated for implementation.

Maddy summarySenate Memorial 19, introduced by Senator Shannon D. Pinto, requests the New Mexico Attorney General to study state laws on Indian child welfare and their impact on Native American children in foster care. The study will examine how other states' approaches affect Native American children in foster care, with the Attorney General consulting the Children, Youth and Families Department and Indian Affairs Department. The Attorney General must report findings and recommendations to the legislature by October 1, 2026, to inform potential improvements to New Mexico's system. This memorial does not change current law but seeks to gather data for future policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill, introduced by Senator Shannon D. Pinto, is a procedural measure that has not yet been printed by the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee. As of March 24, 2026, the bill's consideration has been postponed indefinitely, meaning no specific policy changes or provisions have been enacted. The text provided does not include the actual content of the bill, so its intended effects on public peace, health, safety, or welfare remain unspecified.

Maddy summaryBased solely on the provided context, no substantive details about SB 281's content, provisions, or affected parties are available. The bill's title ("Public Peace, Health, Safety & Welfare") is broad, but the text does not describe specific policy changes, mechanisms, or who it targets. It was introduced by Senator Shannon D. Pinto and referred to the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee on February 4, 2026, but no further actions or bill language are included. Without the actual bill text or a detailed summary, a factual description of its policy effects cannot be provided.

Maddy summarySB 220 sets new minimum Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care services in New Mexico: $23.50 per hour for consumer-delegated services and $19.78 per hour for consumer-directed services. It requires personal care providers receiving Medicaid payments to spend at least 70% of those funds on direct care worker costs, including wages, benefits, training, and supervision. The bill appropriates $51.4 million to update the reimbursement schedule and mandates providers to maintain records proving compliance. This directly affects personal care service agencies that contract with Medicaid to support individuals with daily living needs.

Maddy summaryHouse Memorial 32 requests New Mexico's Indian Affairs Department and Commission on the Status of Women to study the history of forced or coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women and women of color in the state. The study would identify past cases, gather survivor testimony using trauma-informed methods, and assess current reproductive health services. It would lead to recommendations for a state truth commission, public memorial, and new reproductive justice programs. As a memorial (not a binding bill), it seeks to document historical harms and guide future action without implementing new laws.

Maddy summarySB 302 eliminates filing fees for children, their families, or individuals filing on a child's behalf in any proceeding under New Mexico's Children's Code. The bill amends court costs statutes to explicitly exclude these parties from paying filing fees or related expenses (Section 32A-1-19). It ensures that children, families, or legal representatives in Children's Code cases (such as custody or delinquency matters) will not face financial barriers to accessing court proceedings. The law directly affects vulnerable minors and their advocates by removing a cost barrier in family court cases.

Maddy summarySB 226 appropriates $50 million from the general fund to the New Mexico Department of Environment for assessing and cleaning abandoned or neglected contaminated sites, primarily focusing on uranium mining sites without responsible parties to fund cleanup. The funds are available for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, with any unspent balance reverting to the general fund by the end of 2029. This bill directly affects the state budget and communities near contaminated sites, as it provides a dedicated funding source for cleanup where private parties cannot be held accountable. The key mechanism is the dedicated state funding for site assessment and remediation, targeting sites that otherwise would remain unaddressed due to lack of liability.

Maddy summarySB 249 appropriates $1 million from the state general fund to the New Mexico Attorney General for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Task Force during fiscal year 2027. This funding directly supports efforts to address cases affecting Indigenous communities in New Mexico by continuing the task force's work on investigations, data collection, and community engagement. The bill specifies that any unspent funds at the end of fiscal year 2027 must return to the general fund. The legislation focuses on providing concrete financial resources for the task force's ongoing operations, without altering existing legal standards or creating new obligations.