On Feb. 19, the New Mexico Legislature adjourned their 30-day session, the last to be overseen by the outgoing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. According to a press release from the Office of the Governor, the three cornerstone priorities of the governor were medical malpractice reform, mental health commitment and universal child care.
Here are some of the most impactful bills that could affect New Mexicans.
HB 99: Medical Malpractice Changes
HB 99 seeks to ease the cost of medical malpractice lawsuits for physicians to encourage doctors to stay and practice in New Mexico while also ensuring that patients who have experienced medical malpractice receive the compensation they deserve.
The bill stemmed from the severe physician shortage in New Mexico and was an attempt to create a better climate for doctors in the state, according to Source New Mexico.
The Patient Compensation Fund, established in 1976, covers payouts for patients if a medical professional is found guilty of malpractice. HB 99 ensures patients will still be compensated for losses or damages they’ve experienced due to medical malpractice, but sets tiered caps on how much someone can recover in punitive damages beyond compensation.
On Jan. 19, the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee published a report that found all but one of New Mexico’s 33 counties constitute “health professional shortage areas.”
SB 241: Child Care Assistance Program Act
The Child Care Assistance Program Act is the first legislative effort to make New Mexico the first state in the nation to pass no-cost universal childcare into law, a long-time priority for Lujan Grisham.
The bill sets aside $700 million annually over the next five years, dedicated to the state’s child care program and, by putting into state statute, builds a system that can withstand changing administrations and time.
”Every child in New Mexico deserves a strong start, regardless of their family’s zip code or income. With SB 241, we’re making that promise real — and we’re doing it in a way that protects this investment for generations to come,” Lujan Grisham said in the press release.
SB 18: Clear Horizons Act
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Although the Clear Horizons Act was killed on the senate floor, the bill remains notable for both its publicity and the seven Democrats who joined the minority Republican caucus voting against the bill.
The Clear Horizons Act sought sought to reduce New Mexico’s greenhouse gas emissions to 2005-level emissions or lower by 2050, but was killed on the senate floor with a 19-23 vote against the bill. This marks the second legislative session in a row that Lujan Grisham’s cornerstone climate policy did not pass.
SB 235: Microgrid Oversight Act
The Microgrid Oversight Act provides state regulators with greater control over power grids, or microgrids, to ensure that private power grids follow the Energy Transition Act in New Mexico that attempts to transition the state away from coal and toward clean energy sources.
The bill was passed with a 22-20 vote in the Senate and a unanimous vote in the House. According to the Albuquerque Journal,the bill was created in response to Project Jupiter, an AI-focused data center that requires two microgrid facilities which are currently being constructed in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. These facilities are projected to generate 2.8 gigawatts of electricity using natural gas, an amount the Journal reported as being as much as Albuquerque and Las Cruces combined. SB 235 seeks to stop the loophole in the Energy Transition Act that allows larger facilities to buy energy outside the requirements of the ETA.
SB 6: New School of Medicine Facility
SB 6 appropriates $546 million to the University of New Mexico from the state general fund to be allocated to building a new School of Medicine for the University.
The school would likely finish construction in the Spring of 2030, and generate an estimated $1.5 billion in economic impact
SB 240: Capital Outlay projects
Included in the major capital outlay major capital outlay bill was approximately $300 million of appropriations for UNM projects. Some of the major projects include $900,000 to move the UNM Accessibility Resource Center to the first floor of Mesa Vista Hall instead of its current location on the second floor. Over $1 million was appropriated to construct a softball facility on UNM’s main campus.
Approximately $254 million was also approved through the bill for statewide healthcare programs and to pay for subsidies for New Mexicans on the health care exchange.
Penelope Loyd Sment is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo
