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Unlike her predecessor who used her signing pen to veto much of what the legislature sent her, Governor Lujan Grisham has now signed more than 40 pieces of legislation during and since the 2021 legislative session and more, including cannabis legalization, are expected.
Here are some of the biggest bills the governor has signed so far, according to a list provided by the governor’s office.
VETOED LEGISLATION
House Bill 92 – Increasing Fees on Local Water Systems
In her veto message, the governor said adding new fees on water was “too onerous” to add atthis time. The law could have created just over $1 million in new revenue for the state.
SIGNED LEGISLATION
House Bill 6 – State Equalization Guarantee Distributions
Removes the credit for federal Impact Aid, local half-mill property tax levy, and federal forest reserve fund revenues from the public school funding formula, thereby providing access to additional funding to school districts with federally impacted land access.
House Bill 29 – No School Discrimination for Hair
Prohibits discrimination, discipline or disparate treatment of New Mexico students based on their hair style or cultural or religious headdress.
Senate Bill 80 – No School Discrimination for Hair
Prohibits discrimination, discipline or disparate treatment of New Mexico students based on their hair style or cultural or religious headdress.
Senate Bill 140 – Child Support Changes
Updates and modernizes New Mexico child support law, bringing it into federal compliance and delivering more child support for New Mexico children.
House Bill 222 – Special Education Ombud Act
Creates the Special Education Ombud Office within the Developmental Disability Council to advocate for the educational rights of students seeking special education services.
Senate Bill 17 – Family Income Index Act
Enacts the Family Income Index Act; requires the Public Education Department to calculate a family income index for each public school site equal to the percentage of students from households with incomes below 130 percent of the federal poverty level; provides funding for school districts meeting certain criteria.
Special Session House Bill 1 – Legislative Feed Bill & Other Appropriations
Appropriates funds for the costs of the 2021 special session; also makes appropriations for FY21 and FY22 from the general fund contingent on enactment of the Cannabis Regulation Act.
Senate Bill 286 – Emergency Congressional Election Procedure
Supports the Office of the Secretary of State in conducting a safe, secure and accessible special Congressional election amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
House Bill 75 – Medical Malpractice Definitions
Clarifies and modernizes the state Medical Malpractice Act.
House Bill 183 – No Fines or Fees for Some Juvenile Crimes
Removes from criminal statute certain fines and fees relating to offenses committed by youth.
Senate Bill 35 – Minimum Wage for Secondary School Students
Aligns the state’s minimum wage for employees under 18 with the minimum wage for adults.
House Bill 157 – Mining Act Forfeiture Fund
Amends the New Mexico Mining Act to establish a “mining act forfeiture fund” to receive funds from the forfeiture of financial assurance, a commitment of resources made by a mining company at the start of a project; appropriates the funds to EMNRD for the use of completing reclamation or closeout plans.
House Bill 57 – Prescribed Burning Act
Expands the safe use of prescribed fire on private lands as part of a statewide strategy to reduce the frequency and severity of catastrophic wildfire and restore the ecological function of forests and watersheds; establishes various accompanying statutes regarding liability, training and certification.
House Bill 52 – Bilingual Multicultural Education Advisory Council
Establishes the 15-member Bilingual Multicultural Education Advisory Council in statute and provides for its duties, which include advising the Public Education Department on the curriculum, instruction, assessment, educator preparation and evaluation, professional development, educator licensure and student and family services with respect to the implementation of the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act.
House Bill 22 – Grow Your Own Teachers Act Scholarships
Amends the 2019 Grow Your Own Teachers Act to expand the definition of who may qualify for the scholarship program and permit all educational assistants, regardless of scholarship awardee status, to seek professional leave toward the completion of a four-year teaching program.
Senate Bill 122 – Non-Pharmacist Use of Insignias
Clarifies the use of certain insignias under the state Pharmacy Act.
Senate Bill 52 – Extended Unemployment Benefits
Adjusts the state unemployment benefit statute to accommodate changes to federal requirements generated as a result of pandemic-related unemployment programs; repeals statute provisions that restrict the state in triggering additional weeks of extended benefits in periods of high unemployment.
House Bill 255 – Alcohol Deliveries
Amends the Liquor Control Act and other various related acts to allow certain alcohol deliveries with food; prohibit the sale of miniatures for off-site consumption; create a new type of Restaurant license; and make other amendments concerning liquor licenses.
Senate Bill 2 – Waive 2021 Liquor License Fees
Amends the Liquor Control Act to waive the next annual fee for renewed liquor licenses and for all new licenses issued in 2021 by the Regulation and Licensing Department.
Senate Bill 3 – Small Business Recovery Act
Extends the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund created in 2020 and makes funds available from the Severance Tax Permanent Fund. Expands eligibility standards to ensure businesses can access with the financial assistance they need.
Senate Bill 1 – Restaurant Gross Receipt Tax Deduction
Grants a personal income tax rebate of $600 to families and individuals claiming the Working Families Tax Credit – individuals who earn $31,200 or less; and heads of household, surviving spouses or those married filing jointly who earn up to $39,000. Provides for a four-month gross receipts tax holiday for food and beverage establishments, including restaurants, bars, food trucks, small breweries, wineries and craft distilleries, which have been financially impacted by the pandemic.
House Bill 11 – GRT and Permanent Funds for LEDA Projects
Expands the LocalEconomic Development Act (LEDA) in and makes a $200 million one-time appropriation from the general fund to the renamed “local economic development recovery act fund” (the “LEDA fund,” previously the “local and regional economic development support fund”) for pandemic relief grants to businesses, to be administered by the Economic Development Department (EDD) and the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA).
Senate Bill 10 – Repeal of the Abortion Ban
Repeals the provisions in statute, Sections 30-5-1 through 30-5-3 NMSA 1978, which make abortion illegal in New Mexico and punish providing abortion services with a felony conviction except in the circumstances of rape or threat to the pregnant person’s life, provisions that have been considered inoperable following the 1973 US Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade.
House Bill 1 – Legislative Feed Bill
Makes a series of General Fund appropriations to cover expenses of the 2021 Session of the Legislature and the operation of legislative agencies during FY22.