NM Legislative Recap March 14: The rise of the zombie bills
You might have noticed bills with the same all-caps title floating around: 'PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE.'
Committee chairs and legislative leaders introduce generic-titled bills that contain a title, and the phrase 'Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of New Mexico' — until they don't. Lawmakers can substitute that generic language for entirely new bills, (even though the deadline for introduction is the session's midway point) or tabled legislation, to give the bills another shake at moving through the Roundhouse.
So far, legislators have introduced 80 'dummy' bills, though we've only found nine that have been replaced with actual legislation.
Read below about a few of those zombie bills. The chart above shows you all nine. Let us know at Info@SourceNM.com if any of them are of particular interest to you as we head into the final week of the session.
House Bill 588 mirrors Senate Bill 24, which would require all public works construction projects to contribute to public apprentice and training programs. SB24 passed its first committee, but stalled in Senate Finance, according to the legislature's bill tracker. House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements tabled HB588 this week.
House Bill 592 increases the annual income cap for the Social Security Tax exemption by $20,000 for the next five years, and then eliminates the cap in 2031. The House Consumer and Economic Affairs hasn't scheduled the bill for a hearing yet.
House Bill 593 includes provisions to increase rural health care practitioner health credits, institute medical school loan forgiveness and add caps to medical malpractice lawsuits. The House Health and Human Services Committee on Friday morning tabled HB593 in a 5-4 party-line vote.
House Bill 618 mirrors Senate Bill 217, which would remove oversight of IT purchases and contracts from the duties of the secretary of the Department of Information. SB217 passed its first committee, but is not scheduled for an upcoming hearing in Senate Tax, Business and Transportation. The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee on Friday morning passed HB618.
And make sure to peruse the status of all 1,300 or so pieces of legislation introduced so far this session with Source's bill tracker.
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The House Health and Human Services Committee passed Senate Bill 53, which would amend the Professional Psychologist Act to include allopathic and osteopathic physicians, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to the list of prescribing psychologists; Senate Bill 45, which would amend the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act to allow coverage for premium and out-of-pocket costs; Senate Bill 105, which would allow New Mexico to join the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact; Senate Bill 118, which would require the Motor Vehicles Division to create materials explaining how to apply to be an organ donor and distribute to state agencies; House Memorial 53, which would require the Department of Health and the Aging and Long-Term Services Department to update material on Alzheimer's disease and related diseases; seek federal funding for updating dementia-related public health programs; and create a report for the Legislative Council and governor; House Memorial 56, which would recognize May as 'National Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month;' and House Memorial 29, which would require the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee to review driving rules for people with diabetes during the 2025 interim session and develop legislation updating driver's license requirements for people with diabetes.
The House Education Committee passed Senate Bill 11, which would require local school districts to adopt policies for student cell phone use with guidelines from the Public Education Department. The committee also voted to table Senate Bill 242, the Advancing the Science of Reading Act, introduced by President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque). The committee debated the bill last week and agreed to roll it while amendments were considered. House Education Committee Chair G Andrés Romero (D-Albuquerque) said last week that he couldn't promise the bill would be scheduled for a hearing again. One of the big sticking points was over using student outcomes to determine how successful teacher preparation programs are in preparing teachers to use structured literacy.
'I guess that's the concern, is that we're utilizing those students in this teacher's classroom for those three years as a way to evaluate those educator prep programs, and I'm concerned about that,' Romero said.
The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 299, which would require the Secretary of State to notify the governor, presiding officer of the chambers and the county commissioners within five days of a legislative vacancy in their area; House Bill 292, which would distribute 8% of the general fund's gross receipts tax collection to the newly created all cities and counties fund; House Bill 456, which would allow state agencies to use a price agreement for architectural or engineering services up to $2 million, not exceeding $15 million over four years; Senate Bill 353, which would amend the Search and Rescue Act establishing response protocols for federal, state, local and tribal agencies when New Mexico Search and Rescue is called to assist in emergencies; House Bill 570, which would amend the Prior Authorization Act of the Insurance Code to restrict prior authorization for chemotherapy, dialysis, elder care and home health care services, as well as for prescribed diabetes and high blood pressure medications; House Bill 618, a dummy bill that would clarify the role of Department of Information when approving information technology projects conducted by state agencies; Senate Bill 507, which would amend the Concealed Handgun Carry Act to create qualifications, licensing procedures and renewal requirements for concealed handgun licenses; and Senate Bill 63, which would describe how the New Mexico state flag is to be retired when no longer used, such as by burning, a private ceremony or public ceremony held by military personnel or a patriotic society.
The House Taxation and Revenue Committee passed House Bill 14, which would effectively eliminate the state income tax for about 20,000 families.
The Senate Rules Committee passed House Bill 84, which would enact the Employee Free Speech Act.
The Senate Finance Committee passed Senate Bill 401, the Broadband for Education bill, which among other facets would move the Statewide Education Network from the Public School Facilities Authority Office of Broadband Access and Expansion.
'We are pleased that the Finance Committee understands the significance of this bill and what it will mean for broadband expansion on the education front,' OBAE Acting Director said in a statement.
Senate Finance also passed House Bill 181, House Bill 218 and Senate Bill 535, a dummy bill.
The Senate Education Committee passed House Bill 532, House Bill 487, House Bill 67 and House Bill 65.
The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee passed House Bill 339, Senate Bill 96, House Bill 91, House Bill 357, House Bill 223, House Bill 228, House Bill 220, House Bill 174, House Bill 171, House Bill 154, House Bill 191, House Bill 160, House Bill 99, House Bill 93 and House Bill 56.
The House of Representatives debated House Bill 17 for three hours before passing the bill, which would create a commission to study grocery prices and propose ways to lower consumer costs for essential household foods. The chamber also passed House Bill 76, which would require hospitals and other institutions to screen newborn children for congenital cardiac conditions; House Bill 372, which would increase the weight limit for recreational off-highway vehicles, and allow drivers under the age of 18 to carry a passenger if they are properly licensed and supervised; House Bill 7, which would would establish a trust fund for children born in New Mexico after Jan. 1, 2025; and House Bill 571, which would create a program and certification process under the Department of Finance and Administration to acknowledge municipalities that adopt strategies that increase housing affordability and accessibility.
After lengthy debate, the Senate passed House Bill 5, which would create the Office of the Child Advocate to oversee the Children Youth and Families Department.
The Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee was expected to meet at 5:45 p.m. on Friday night.
The Senate will meet at noon on Saturday. Senate Majority Floor Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) said he also expects the Senate to meet on Sunday.
The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
The Senate Conservation Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet after the floor session on Saturday.
The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Saturday morning, around 9:30 or 10 a.m., Chair George Munoz said.
The Senate will hold a bolo tie contest on Saturday, Sen. Bobby Gonzales (D-Rancho de Taos) said. The prize will be one of the bolo ties from his collection, he said.
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