Proposed alcohol tax passes first committee
Lawmakers today introduced a proposal to raise New Mexico's tax on alcohol for the first time in 30 years and re-direct revenue toward treatment and programs.
The House Health and Human Services Committee voted 6-4 to advance House Bill 417, Liquor Tax Changes and Programs. It now heads to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.
The bill specifically creates a new 6% sales tax — also called a surtax — on alcohol sold in retail establishments, and eliminates distribution of revenue from the existing alcohol excise tax to the general fund, which currently receives a portion of that money.
Instead, the bill creates a new Local Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund to allocate funding to counties and 'target the communities most in need by prioritizing counties with the highest death rates from alcohol use,' a news release on Wednesday said. Counties that receive the funding 'could use these funds for grants to raise awareness of the harms and risks associated with substance misuse, promote prevention, get people into treatment, and address issues like impaired driving.'
HB417 also creates a new Tribal Alcohol Harms Alleviation Fund and Program to provide grants to the state's tribes, nations and pueblos, as well as entities that serve Native Americans.
Lawmakers say the bill arrives after months of discussion. The proposal also follows several years of failed efforts to raise the tax on alcohol, and increasing scrutiny of New Mexico's top ranking for alcohol-related deaths.
Representatives Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla), Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces) and Cristina Parajón (D-Abuquerque) and Senators Shannon Pinto (D-Tohatchi) and Antionette Sedillo-Lopez (D-Albuquerque) co-sponsored the bill.
'Far too many of us have lost a loved one to alcohol,' Ferrary said in a statement. 'With this bill, we are taking an important step that is many years in the making to help improve access to treatment, reduce excessive drinking, and hopefully begin saving lives.'
A fiscal analysis of the bill estimated that the proposed surtax imposition will generate $45.7 million in FY26, and that HB417 would reduce recurring general fund revenue by $24.7 million by redirecting revenue to the alcohol prevention and treatment programs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Newsom, Booker rally support for California redistricting on DNC call
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appeared alongside Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin and Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) as they rallied their party behind California's redistricting measure. 'Yes, we'll fight fire with fire. Yes, we will push back. It's not about whether we play hardball anymore. It's about how we play hardball,' Newsom said on the call. Newsom and California Democrats released a new set of congressional lines last week that look to offset expected gains Texas Republicans will likely make with their new House map once passed. Democrats are seeking to put their House map on the ballot before voters this November, pressing voters to allow lawmakers to redraw the map in the middle of the decade and bypass the state's independent redistricting commission. Republicans have already challenging California Democrats' ability to put the measure before voters and other top GOP leaders like former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) have also signaled they're preparing to fight the map. The appearance of Booker and Newsom together is notable given both have been floated as 2028 White House hopefuls. The two painted a picture of democracy under threat and emphasized the stakes of the redistricting battle. 'The is all hands-on deck right now. People are going to ask, 'Where did you stand when Donald Trump was violating court orders?' 'Where did you stand when he was trashing the concept of due process in our country?'' Booker said. ''Where did you stand when he was sending out masked unidentified people in unmarked vehicles to sweep people off of our streets?'' 'I'll be damned if I'm going to continue to let Donald Trump, Republicans from Texas continue to disregard, demean and degrade other Americans, to deny them their rights without a fight,' he added later. During the call, state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) was asked to leave at one point while she was participating in the call from a bathroom in the Texas Capitol, saying 'They said it's a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can't be on the floor or in a bathroom.' It's unclear what wrongdoing Collier committed. The Hill has reached out to Collier's office, the Texas House Democratic Caucus and Texas House GOP caucus for comment. Democrats on the call slammed the move. 'Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office,' Booker said. 'That is outrageous. What they're trying to do right there, is silence an American leader, silence a Black woman and that is outrageous,' he added.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Texas Democrat abruptly leaves DNC call after being warned she's committing felony
A Texas Democratic state lawmaker abruptly left a call with Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin and other top party leaders on Wednesday after she was warned she was committing a felony. 'Sorry, I have to leave,' state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) said at one point in the call, interrupting Martin. 'They said it's a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can't be on the floor or in a bathroom.' 'You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom,' she told someone who was out of view of the camera. 'No, hold on – bye everybody, I've gotta go.' Collier was participating in the call from inside the Texas Capitol, where the state House was currently moving forward with a vote on a GOP-friendly House map. Democrats had initially fled Texas to block passage of the map, but returned earlier this week. Democrats who wanted to leave and come back to the Capitol in between when the House met could only do so after 'agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment under the rules of the House,' according to Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R). They also have to sign a form saying they will come back to the state legislature. Collier declined to agree to the terms and instead has slept inside the state legislature in protest. It was not clear exactly what Collier did that constituted a felony, though the incident angered Democrats on the call. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) blasted the news as 'outrageous,' saying 'Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office,' said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). 'That is outrageous. What they're trying to do right there, is silence an American leader, silence a Black woman and that is outrageous,' he added.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Who will run for president in 2028? Betting odds say...
Gamblers are already hedging their bets on who will win the 2028 presidential election. With more than three years to go until the next presidential election, bettors at Polymarket are already making their predictions as to who will win the 2028 election for the White House. According to Polymarket's betting odds on Monday afternoon, Vice President JD Vance has a 28% chance of winning the 2028 election while California Gov. Gavin Newsom trails with a 16% chance. According to Polymarket's betting odds, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has a 9% chance of winning the White House, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has a 7% chance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has a 6% chance. This comes as speculation has swirled over who will take over President Donald Trump's MAGA movement after leaving office and over who will be the next leader of the Democratic Party. Trump suggested earlier this month that Vance is the 'most likely' candidate for the 2028 GOP nomination. According to Polymarket, Vance has a 53% chance of winning the GOP nomination in 2028. Rubio trails with a 10% chance, followed by MAGA loyalist Steve Bannon with a 5% chance. Trump, who is constitutionally barred from running for president again, still received a 4% chance in the betting markets for the GOP nomination. Polymarket's bettors also give Newsom a 20% chance of being the Democratic Party's nominee. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez has a 13% chance and Buttigieg has an 8% chance, according to the betting market as of Monday. The latest betting odds come as Newsom has amped up his criticism of Trump in recent weeks by trolling him on social media platform X. Many pundits speculate that Newsom is gearing up for a presidential run after his time as governor ends in 2027. A recent Emerson College poll asked voters about possible matchups between Vance and potential Democratic contenders in the 2028 presidential election. The poll found Vance had a slight advantage over three possible rivals, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The tightest hypothetical race was between Vance and Buttigieg, according to the poll. The vice president received 44% of support while Buttigieg clinched 43%. Another 13% said they were undecided. In hypothetical matchups with Ocasio-Cortez and Newsom, Vance had a 3-point advantage. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to
