​Lawmakers file the first bills of New Mexico’s 2025 legislative session, which starts in 3 weeks

​By: Danielle Prokop
Source NM

The House Chambers inside the Roundhouse on Jan. 10, 2024. (Photo by Anna Padilla for Source NM)

The start to the 2025 New Mexico legislative session is still several weeks away, but some lawmakers have already introduced proposed changes in state laws.
 
Legislators started putting forward proposals known as prefiles Thursday, the first day they file bills before the opening gavel on Jan. 21. Three state senators filed five bills on the opening day.
 
Proposed bills would develop a state and tribal schools partnership, amend the constitution on retired public worker’s health care funds, and expand eligibility for a state program for youth aging out of foster care.
 
Sen. Benny Shendo (D-Jemez Pueblo) introduced legislation to expand tribal and pueblo governments’ ability to enter into agreements with the state’s education authority for cultural and language schools, and allow schools to access public funding. The schools would develop the curriculum and agree not to charge tuition. Schools would report enrollment, and receive funds like any other public school, and could apply for state grants.
 
There would need to be a public rule-making process for how the process would work, if the law is passed.
 
Sen. Roberto “Bobby” Gonzalez (D-Ranchos de Taos) introduced a state constitutional amendment, which would have to be approved by voters. The bill would require the state to create a trust fund for health care programs for retired public employees, and prohibit spending and investment of that money outside of the needs of the retirees.
 
Sen. Micheal Padilla (D-Albuquerque) introduced three bills on opening day. Two related to public works construction, by requiring projects to offer minimum wage to specific workers and increase financial support for apprenticeships. Padilla’s third bill expands eligibility to youth held in state custody into a state program supporting foster youth who have aged out of state support.
 
The House released 14 prefiled bills on Friday. Some bills would make small changes such as motorcycle licence designs, or removing deductions for tips paid with a credit card.
 
Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) introduced a bill to protect libraries from losing funding for refusing to ban books based on the subject or an author’s sexuality, race or gender, countering a rise in book bans across the nation. This law wouldn’t impact the right of individuals to challenge specific materials in a library’s collection.
 
Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque) introduced a bill to make a shooting or bomb threat a fourth degree felony, raising it from the current penalty of a misdemeanor. The law also adds a provision putting the person who made the threat on the hook for costs incurred because of a threat – loss of business or lost wages, among others.
 
Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Galisteo) put forward two state constitutional amendments, requiring voter approval. One to make all legislative sessions 45 days in length, rather than alternating between shorter and longer sessions. The second would remove the governor’s pocket veto power, which means any bill that goes unsigned by a certain deadline after a session dies. The bill would also require the governor to send an explanation for any veto, which has not applied because of the pocket veto.The last day lawmakers can put forward bills before the start of the session is Jan. 17.
 
Prefiles only contain the language of the proposed legislation, and don’t have official numbers yet. No analysis or actions such as committee assignments are made until the lawmakers convene officially.