2021 NM Legislative Session

Updates in bold (Feb 22). Below is a listing of items of interest. Please check out this handy bill finder with links to other information, including the session calendar.

HB211/SB199 — REDISTRICTING ACT Would create independent redistricting commission. House Judiciary and Senate Rules Committees, not scheduled.

HB 99 — SMALL LOAN ACT MAX ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE Still in Judiciary Committee
SB 66 — PERMITTED PERCENTAGE RATES FOR LOANS Senate Judiciary Committee on 2/22/2021

HB 106/SB 84 — COMMUNITY SOLAR ACT relating to utilities; enacting the community solar act; prescribing requirements for community solar facilities, subscriber organizations and subscriptions; prescribing requirements for administration of a community solar program; directing the public regulation commission to adopt rules to implement a community solar program. Still in House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee. Senate Tax, Business & Transportation Committee on Feb 23.

SB 10 — REPEAL ABORTION BAN Passed both chambers. Needs gubernatorial signature.

SB 32 — ROXY’S LAW relating to wildlife; enacting the wildlife conservation and public safety act; providing for restrictions on the use of traps, snares and poisons; providing penalties. Currently in Senate Judiciary Committee but not scheduled.

SB 80 — NO SCHOOL DISCRIMINATION FOR HAIR relating to race; prohibiting the imposition of discipline, discrimination or disparate treatment in schools based on the hair or cultural headdresses of a student; defining terms in the public school code and the human rights act. Currently in Senate Judiciary Committee but not scheduled.

SB 86 — USE OF WATER FOR OIL & GAS OPERATIONS — relating to natural resources; prohibiting certain uses of fresh water in oil and gas operations; providing penalties for the spill or release of oil, gas or produced water; creating the oil conservation division data compilation fund; directing the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department to adopt rules relating to produced water and nondomestic wastes that are protective of public health, worker safety and natural resources; requiring the tracking of produced water; alphabetizing definitions and adding definitions for “fresh water”, “water pollution”, “recycled water” and “treated water” to the oil and gas act; amending the produced water act to conform to changes in the oil and gas act; clarifying requirements for water quality control commission rulemaking related to the use of produced water outside of the oil field. Currently in Senate Judiciary Committee but not scheduled.

SB 103 — RESTRICTING USE OF NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDE Currently in Senate Tax, Business & Transportation Committee but not scheduled.

HB 236/SB 313 — PUBLIC BANKING ACT Currently House Judiciary and Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committees, not scheduled.

SB 155–ENERGY TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY CHANGES–RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES; REINSTATING REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER PUBLIC UTILITIES FOR PLANT ABANDONMENT COSTS TO PROTECT RATEPAYERS; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ACT PERTAINING TO COST RECOVERY; AMENDING THE ENERGY TRANSITION ACT; PROVIDING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF A FINANCING ORDER; CONFORMING FINANCING ORDER APPEAL AND REHEARING FILING DEADLINES WITH COURT RULES: TABLED IN COMMITTEE.

There is also a joint resolution, known as the Green Amendment, that would put to the public the question of amending the state constitution to include environmental rights.

SJR 3 — ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS (GREEN AMENDMENT) proposing to amend the constitution of new mexico by adding a new section of article 2 that provides the people of the state with environmental rights, including the right to a clean and healthy environment and the right to the preservation of the environment, and directs the state to protect environmental resources for the benefit of all the people and by repealing the current pollution control provisions of article 20, section 21. Senate Judiciary Committee not scheduled.