February 11, 2020 News

New Mexico Bills to Watch Feb. 11, 2020


SJR 4 

Sponsor: James Townsend

Summary: This joint resolution resolves that the New Mexico legislature ratifies and approves the interstate stream commission’s sale of a tract of undeveloped land in Eddy County to a private owner. 

 

HB 103 

Sponsor: G. Andres Romero

Summary: Bill establishes a El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Development Commission and creates the El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro development fund. 

 

HB 223 

Sponsor: Nathan Small

Summary: This bill would direct a portion of the state’s oil and gas revenue surplus to a permanent fund for habitat restoration and sustainable agriculture projects in the state, and proposes that $150 million be appropriated from the general fund into an Agricultural and Natural Resources Trust Fund in fiscal year 2021.

 

HB 304 

Sponsor: Angelica Rubio

Summary: This bill transfers administration of the outdoor equity grant program and fund from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Commission to the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation division of the economic development department. 

 

SB 102 

Sponsor: Steven Neville

Summary: This bill “would direct a portion of the state’s oil and gas revenue surplus to a permanent fund for habitat restoration and sustainable agriculture projects in the state.” It “proposes that $150 million be appropriated from the general fund into an Agricultural and Natural Resources Trust Fund in fiscal year 2021.”

 

SB 104 

Sponsor: Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Patricia Roybal Caballero

Summary: Bill bans the state of New Mexico from issuing “new permits allowing hydraulic fracturing for the purpose of extracting oil or natural gas.”

 

SB 180 

Sponsor: Elizabeth Stefanics

Summary: Bill amends an existing law so that a schedule of fees will be provided “for businesses generating or managing hazardous waste or used oil.” It also increases the maximum daily fine for noncompliance with the Hazardous Waste Act from $10,000 to $75,000. 

 

HM 29 

Sponsor: Matthew McQueen

Summary: This House Memorial expresses support for “establishing bonding amounts that are sufficient to cover remediation and reclamation costs and lease obligations” because a recent GAO report found that “that oil and gas bond amounts set by the Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of the Interior largely have not been updated in forty years or more and fail to serve their intended purpose.” 

 

HB 28 

Sponsor: Greg Nibert, Cathrynn N. Brown

Summary: Bill amends the definition of a “subdivision” in the New Mexico Subdivision Act for Parcels Divided to exclude “the division of land for oil or gas operations; provided the land continues to be used for oil or gas operations.” 

 

SB 55 

Sponsor: Sander Rue

Summary: This bill creates an “agricultural and natural resources trust fund” in the state treasury and an “office of the agricultural and natural resources trust” that is attached to the office of the governor. Money in the trust fund can be used for “water enhancement projects,” “preservation or conservation of open space, cultural land and resources and habitat for fish, wildlife or plants through purchase or acquisition of conservation easements,” and other habitat improvement projects.