House Business & Industry (HBIC)

Historically, the House Business & Industry Committee (HBIC) has been a significant hurdle to common-sense public and environmental health policy in New Mexico.  Like some other constituency-driven legislative committees, the membership is heavily oriented towards big corporations: polluting industries, major utilities, pharmaceutical companies, alcohol and tobacco interests, and more.

Chaired by Representative Debbie Rodella, this committee seemed to shift ever-so-slightly in 2011.

Although HB546—a bill to destroy the renewable energy requirements that have driven our booming clean energy industry—eventually passed HBIC, initially it failed to garner enough votes.  It took another couple of weeks for the utilities and industry to get the additional vote they needed to move the measure onto its next committee, where it ran out of time.

The committee also defeated the Legislative Review Act (HB69, Rep. Jimmie Hall), which would have allowed the legislature to override any rule adopted by a board or commission, even if the legislature has no understanding of, or background on, the issue.  Many rules are adopted after days or weeks of testimony, and after decision-makers have reviewed thousands of pages of technical documents.  The legislature does not have the time, resources or expertise to be that thorough in reviewing rules, which means that decisions would most certainly be arbitrary and politically-influenced.  Fortunately, the majority of HBIC members understood the constitutional and public policy concerns with the measure, and it failed to pass the committee.

Chairwoman Rodella handled another critical measure with caution: HB297, sponsored by Committee Vice-Chair Thomas Garcia, would have jeopardized water quality by loosening standards and oversight of inactive oil and gas wells.  She was careful to consider the opponents’ concerns (including those expressed by CVNM), and insisted on a negotiated compromise.  Unfortunately, the sponsor and proponents then reneged on that compromise when they presented an entirely different substitute bill in the next committee.

Despite a few bright spots, HBIC is still an obstacle to sound conservation policy in New Mexico.  Most good environmental legislation that is assigned to HBIC is defeated, and almost every effort by polluting industry to dismantle critical safeguards has no problem securing enough votes to pass.

Chair:  Rep. Debbie Rodella
Vice-Chair:  Rep. Thomas Garcia