New Mexico Bills to Watch, February 28, 2020
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.
Last Major Action: 2/4/20 – Passed House unanimously; sent to Rules and Conservation committees in the Senate
Sponsor: G. Andres Romero
Summary: Bill establishes an El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Development Commission and creates the El Camino Real De Tierra Adentro development fund.
Last Major Action: 1/30/20 – Passed out of House Local Government, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee
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.
Last Major Action: 2/6/20 – Hearing in House Energy, Environment And Natural Resources Committee
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.
Last Major Action: 2/18/20 – Passed unanimously in the Senate
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.”
Last Major Action: 01/22/20 – Referred to Senate Committees Committee
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.”
Last Major Action: 01/22/20 – Referred to Senate Committees Committee
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.
Last Major Action: 2/10/20 – Referred to Judiciary/ Finance Committee
Sponsor: Steven Neville
Summary: Very similar to Neville’s other bill, SB 102, except that this bill only appropriates $50,000,000 to the Agricultural and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as opposed to $150,000,000.
Last Major Action: 2/6/20 – Reported by Committee to fall within the purview of a 30-day session
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.”
Last Major Action: 2/11/20 – House Energy & Natural Resources Committee: Reported by committee with Do Not Pass but with a Do Pass recommendation on Committee Substitution
Sponsor: G. Andrés Romero and Gerald Ortiz y Pino
Summary: This joint memorial requests the New Mexico cultural affairs department to convene a task force to develop options and a strategic plan for the development of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro national historic trail in collaboration with BLM and NPS.
Last Major Action: 2/20/20 – Passed in the Senate, 37 voting yes; 2 voting no
Sponsor: Joseph Sanchez
Summary: This memorial recognizes “the cultural, recreational, and environmental importance of Pecos Canyon and the Upper Pecos Watershed” and opposes “the exploratory drilling project proposed for that area by the Australian Corporation New World Resources Ltd. and its subsidiary CoMexico LLC.”
Last Major Action: 2/13/20 – House Energy & Natural Resources Committee: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation
Sponsor: Susan Herrera
Summary: This memorial asks that the New Mexico legislature affirm “the importance of all New Mexicans, including Hispanic New Mexicans, in decisions and processes concerning public lands and waters,” and it resolves that the New Mexico legislature “express support for HECHO [Hispanics enjoying camping, hiking and the outdoors]” by creating “a public lands conservation council of Hispanic leaders to build capacity and create a formalized network of Hispanic public lands leaders to increase participation and representation of Hispanics in such matters.”
Last Major Action: 2/13/20 – House Local Government, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs- reported by committee with a do-pass recommendation
Sponsor: Richard Martinez
Summary: This memorial asks that the New Mexico legislature affirm “the importance of all New Mexicans, including Hispanic New Mexicans, in decisions and processes concerning public lands and waters,” and it resolves that the New Mexico legislature “express support for HECHO [Hispanics enjoying camping, hiking and the outdoors]” by creating “a public lands conservation council of Hispanic leaders to build capacity and create a formalized network of Hispanic public lands leaders to increase participation and representation of Hispanics in such matters.”
Last Major Action: 2/18/20 – Conservation: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation
Sponsor: Elizabeth Stefanics and Pete Campos
Summary: This memorial recognizes “the cultural, recreational, and environmental importance of pecos canyon and the upper Pecos watershed” and opposes “exploratory drilling projects proposed for that area” because “Pecos canyon and the upper Pecos watershed” is an “inappropriate place to conduct an exploratory drilling operation and for activities associated with an exploratory drilling operation.”
Last Major Action: 2/13/20 – Conservation: Reported by committee with Do Not Pass but with a Do Pass recommendation on Committee Substitution
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.”
Last Major Action: 1/22/20 — Referred to House Rules & Order of Business Committee
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.
Last Major Action: 1/30/20 – Reported by Senate Conservation Committee with Do Pass recommendation with amendment
Sponsor: Gabriel Ramos, John Arthur Smith
Summary: Bill would designate the New Mexico Entity of the Central Arizona Project as a political subdivision of the state, which allows the Entity to do its own business, track its own finances and possibly to enter into different contracts.
Last Major Action: 2/3/20 – Per news reports, the bill has died because it was declared not germane.