CVNM’s 2023 Legislative Priorities

**HB 4: Voting Rights Protections (Martínez, Chasey, Duhigg, Johnson) HB 4 proposes substantial changes to state election law. These include:

• Restoration of voting right to citizens convicted of felonies
• Improvement of native voter protections
• Upgrades to secure automatic voter registration
• Creation and enforcement of the permanent absentee list
• Marking Election Day as a school holiday

The Voting Rights Act will ensure that every New Mexican, regardless of background, geography, or demographics, will be able to participate in an efficient, secure, equitable and inclusive democratic process. SUPPORT **PRIORITY BILL – votes on this bill may be weighted

HB 30: Public School Ventilation Improvement Act (Chandler, Garratt, Stewart) HB 30 establishes requirements for the Public Education Department to establish indoor ventilation assessment standards. This bill would have the effect of reducing the transmissibility of airborne viruses as well as reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants. SUPPORT

HB 32: Energy Storage System Tax Credit (Sariñana, Stewart) HB 32 creates a tax credit for installation of energy storage systems. It will cover 40% of the cost of purchase and installation (up to $5,000 for residential installation and $150,000 for installation on commercial and agricultural property). This bill allows New Mexicans to actively participate in grid modernization and pollution reduction by incentivizing the purchase of energy storage systems. These systems will supply the grid with power when solar energy isn’t actively generating power, helping create a more reliable energy grid. SUPPORT

HB 42/SB 5: Public Health and Climate Resiliency (Thomson, Ortez) HB 42 will establish a statewide public health and climate program within the NMDOH Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau. Its purpose would be to administer funds and assist local and frontline communities in preparing and responding to climate-related emergencies. In 2022, New Mexicans experienced devastating wildfires, drought, and extreme heat. Such events have become more frequent and widespread due to climate change, and without aggressive climate action will only worsen. A fully funded Public Health and Climate Resiliency program will protect our most vulnerable communities. SUPPORT

HB 67: Energy Facilities Bonds and Gross Receipts (Chandler, Ortez) HB 67 will add energy storage projects to the types of projects that industrial bonds may finance. Storage projects will be critical in the coming years to add readily dispatchable sources to the grid. This change will make it easier for energy developers to add much needed storage projects to help our state move toward renewable energy. SUPPORT

HB 91/ SB 112: Natural Resources Trustee Changes (Ferrary, Lujan) The Office of the Natural Resources Trustee (ONRT) is generally charged with managing environmental clean-up efforts and expending funds associated with environmental remediation projects. HB 91/SB 112 will expand the powers and duties of the trustee and add more effective tools to the toolkit. This will ensure that the ONRT can fully represent the interests of New Mexicans in the maintenance of a healthy environment. SUPPORT

HB 95: Renewable Energy Office in State Land Office (Lujan) The State Land Office’s mission is to use state trust land to raise revenue for New Mexico public schools and other public institutions. One of the ways this is done is by leasing land for renewable energy projects, like wind and solar. In 2022, the State Land Office generated $12 million in revenue through renewable energy project leases, a figure which is expected to grow. HB 95 would institutionalize the State Land Office’s Office of Renewable Energy. An Office of Renewable Energy would provide long-term stability for renewable energy leasing, limiting partisan fluctuation in current state-level investments in renewable energy development. SUPPORT

HB 121: Water Right Lease Effective Date (Chandler, Herrera, Wirth) HB 121 clarifies that the State Engineer can approve a permit for a water use lease only after requirements for public notice and mandatory public hearings have been conducted. It is vital to ensure due process and transparency in any proposed changes to water rights that could affect existing and senior water rights holders, and our rivers and aquifers. SUPPORT

HB 122/SB 53: Storage of Certain Radioactive Waste (McQueen, Sariñana) Proper storage and disposal of radioactive and hazardous waste is critical in avoiding radiation exposure and pollution of our land and residents. Because our national labs are highly involved with nuclear weapons research, New Mexico must be particularly cautious with how we handle the byproducts of those projects. HB 122 ensures that we have a task force equipped with experts to protect natural resources and vulnerable populations from radioactive exposure, as well as statutes that prevent irresponsible handling of radioactive and hazardous materials. SUPPORT

HB 142: Generating Facility and Mine Remediation (Allison, Szczepanski, Matthews) HB 142 establishes requirements for a study and report detailing a remediation plan for the San Juan Generating Station (SJGS). Additional requirements for cleanup and remediation at SJGS will benefit the local community by helping guarantee a thorough and durable cleanup and remediation process. SUPPORT

HB 184: State Game Commission Changes (McQueen) HB 184 will provide additional support and functionality to the State Game Commission. Several changes outlined in the bill will help the commission function more effectively, highlighting other duties and authorities of the commission while creating a clearer process for appointment and removal. SUPPORT

HB 185: Enviro Standards for Appliances & Fixtures (Ortez) HB 185 creates energy efficiency, water savings, and environmental standards for various commonly used household and commercial appliances. The goal is to phase out the sale of mercury-containing appliances and accelerate the transition to high efficiency, low emissions machines. This bill has the potential to:

• Save 77 million on utility bills
• Reduce usage of natural gas
• Save 3,056 gallons of water
• Decrease carbon emissions by 107,000 megatons

Most importantly, HB 185 protects New Mexican consumers from purchasing outdated, low efficiency appliances. SUPPORT

 **HB 188: Economic Transition Division (Rubio, Ortez, Serrato, Allison, Caballero, Sariñana) The push away from oil and gas will not come without cost. It is an industry that has provided a livelihood for the better part of a century. For some, it has created obscene wealth. For most, it has provided a boom and bust economy reliant on a volatile oil market. It is for the latter that we must ensure we have a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and a more stable, diversified economy. House Bill 188 is aimed at doing just that. It would create an Economic Transition Division within the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD). The division would support workforce development for oil and gas communities in the renewable energy sector. Additionally, the division would collect and allocate funds from the federal Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The target would be local governments and community groups that provide on-the-ground assistance to low-income, overburdened communities through health insurance, unemployment benefits, and income support. SUPPORT  **PRIORITY BILL – votes on this bill may be weighted

HB 195: Forest Conservation Act Amendments (McQueen, Nibert, Woods) HB 195 will update the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) to cite the correct federal laws that provide federal forestry funding assistance to states and strike outdated language that conflicts with current state and federal policies. Additional amendments have outlined several changes to authority under EMNRD and the Forestry Division to prevent the catastrophic fires New Mexico experienced during the summer of 2022 from repeating. SUPPORT

HB 218: Low-Income Public Utility Rates (Ortez, Stewart, Rubio, Lente, Borrego) HB 218 would require public utilities to offer affordable rates to low-income residential customers. It sets out to advance efforts examining whether a utility’s rates are affordable to low-income customers in its service territory. If not, it will identify what type of low-income discount rate, alone or in combination with other actions such as energy efficiency improvements, the utility would recommend to achieve energy affordability. SUPPORT

HB 242: Private Right of Action for Certain Statutes (McQueen) HB 242 adds to the Air Quality, Hazardous Waste, Water Quality, and Solid Waste Acts the ability for private citizens to initiate civil actions for claims relating to injury, including economic or imminent threat to injury for violations of the act. The bill would also establish the scope and limitations of allowable actions. This legislation will empower New Mexico communities to seek remedy against illegal polluters instead of waiting for frequently over-taxed state agencies. SUPPORT

HB 261: Expand Unlawful Taking of Big Game (Ortez, Johnson, Schmedes) HB 261 requires hunters to remove the edible portions of bear, cougar, and javelina from the field and adds clarifying language in determination of waste. Expanding New Mexico’s existing law against the wanton waste of game animals to include these three species is necessary to protect the future of all hunting in our state. When a New Mexico hunter kills a black bear, javelina, or cougar and leaves the carcass in the field, it threatens to tarnish the public image of all hunters. It sends a negative message to non-hunters who come across a discarded carcass that hunting is just a blood sport and that banning the activity entirely would be justified. Penalties remain the same, with an expansion of included game and specifications regarding waste. SUPPORT

HB 276: Oil & Gas Permit Applications (Romero, Chandler) HB 276 gives EMNRD the authority to require proof from oil and gas operators that they have proper environmental insurance, and can demonstrate fiscal solvency. It will also require them to submit a fiscal solvency review as a part of the oil and gas permitting process. The bill also creates procedures for application denial, suspension, and revocation for poor compliance. With these statutes, HB 276 will help ensure the oil and gas industry takes necessary steps to maintain oil wells and prevent environmental and health hazards related to orphaned and abandoned wells. SUPPORT 

HJR 4/SJR 6: Environmental Rights, CA (Ferrary, Sedillo Lopez, Caballero, Lujan) HJR 4 would constitutionally mandate that state and local decision-makers protect the environmental rights of all New Mexicans. This would give communities experiencing environmental injustice legal recourse to protect the air they breathe and the water they drink, and ensure that government decisions prioritize environmental protection for all. SUPPORT

SENATE BILLS:

SB 1: Regional Water System Resiliency (Wirth) SB 1 allows regional authorities to provide water/wastewater services, road improvements, and renewable energy projects. It would also outline articles of incorporation requirements; powers and duties; and board leadership, including capabilities and responsibilities of the board. It allows for the transfer of assets and liabilities by listed entities providing water or sewer services. The benefit to communities from these regulations includes developing drought contingency plans, monitoring and assessing aquifers, and gaining knowledge and resources to increase the resilience of their water systems. Additionally, it would allow communities to pool their resources in various ways, creating a more equitable system for all involved. SUPPORT

SB 5/HB 42: Public Health and Climate Resiliency (Stefanics, Thomson) SB 5 will establish a statewide public health and climate program within the NMDOH Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau. Its purpose is to administer funds and assist local and frontline communities in preparing for and responding to climate-related emergencies. In 2022, New Mexicans experienced devastating wildfires, drought, and extreme heat. These events have become more frequent and widespread due to climate change, and without aggressive climate action will only worsen. A fully funded Public Health and Climate Resiliency Program will protect our most vulnerable communities. SUPPORT

SB 6: Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Recovery Funds (Campos, Castellano, Sanchez) Last summer New Mexico saw some of the worst wildfires in the state’s history, one of which was the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire which burned over 300,000 acres in Northern New Mexico. As a result, the impacted communities have had to figure out how to rebuild in the aftermath. SB 6 would provide a $100 million reverting appropriation to be used to provide zero-interest, reimbursable loans to state political subdivisions approved by FEMA for public assistance grantmaking to replace and repair damaged infrastructure. This can include necessary water and aquifer recovery projects in the area to help mitigate the long-lasting impacts this fire is going to have on these communities. SUPPORT

SB 8: Geothermal Resources Development (Ortiz y Pino, Woods, Griggs, Roybal Caballero) Geothermal heat energy is a renewable zero emission form of energy. New Mexico is ranked sixth highest in the nation for geothermal energy thanks to our unique geology. Investing in this form of energy could be an important step in achieving the state’s climate goal of being emissions free by 2050. Investment in geothermal also supports economic diversification and development initiatives. SUPPORT

**SB 9: Create Legacy Permanent Funds (Neville, Wirth) SB 9 would create a Conservation Legacy Fund that would give legislators a historic opportunity to deliver for New Mexico communities and better protect us from extreme weather conditions like wildfire, flooding and drought. It would also preserve our cultural heritage and outdoor traditions, leaving a legacy for our children to hunt, fish, farm, ranch, and enjoy the lands and waters the way our ancestors have for generations. Local entities – including acequias, tribes, and Soil & Water Conservation Districts – are primed to apply for projects they know work for them. If adequately funded, this investment could deliver resources to all 33 counties and tribal communities. Working on this legislation has been an impressive bipartisan process, bringing a variety of different stakeholders together to develop this historic piece of legislation. SUPPORT **PRIORITY BILL – votes on this bill may be weighted

SB 22: Electric Vehicle & Charging Unit Credits (Tallman) Tailpipe emissions make up 14% of all air pollution in our state. It is typically low-income communities of color who suffer the most damaging impacts of traffic air pollution. SB 22 will help make the purchase of electric vehicles more accessible to all New Mexicans by establishing two tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and charging stations. SUPPORT

SB 25: Federal Infrastructure Matching Fund (Muñoz) SB 25 creates a matching fund for tribal communities to leverage federal dollars for infrastructure projects, including many that could bolster water resources and renewable energy for the state. This bill would also support additional investment in projects that would lead to sustainable water systems and other resources and allow for long-term resiliency among those living on tribal lands in New Mexico. SUPPORT

SB 30: State Purchase Of Electric Vehicles (Soules) The state of New Mexico currently has over 1,900 vehicles in its fleet. Vehicle exhaust is a substantial contributor to climate change and smog, which can cause severe health impacts and respiratory disease. By transitioning 75% of the state’s vehicle fleet to electric by 2030, SB 30 will save the state money in fuel and maintenance costs, protect the health of communities and state workers, and address air pollution contributing to climate change. SUPPORT

SB 45: Geothermal Ground-Coupled Heat Pump Credit (Soules) Geothermal ground-coupled heat pumps are a zero-emissions, sustainable way of heating and cooling our homes. The climate of New Mexico creates an ideal environment that enables geothermal heat pumps to be a reliable and efficient heat/cooling source year round. As we continue our transition to renewable energy, this technology will provide another avenue to achieve our climate and energy goals. SUPPORT

SB 53/HB 122: Storage of Certain Radioactive Waste (Steinborn) Proper storage and disposal of radioactive and hazardous waste is critical in avoiding radiation exposure and pollution to our land and residents. Because our national labs are highly involved with nuclear weapons research, New Mexico must be particularly cautious with how we handle the byproducts of those projects. SB 53 ensures that we have a task force equipped with experts to protect vulnerable populations from radioactive exposure, as well as statutes that prevent irresponsible handling of radioactive and hazardous materials. SUPPORT

SB 56: Distributed Generation Facility Supply Cap (Soules) Currently, residential solar panel installations are capped in size and can be built no larger than 120% of the host user’s annual electrical consumption. By removing the cap, SB 56 will allow for larger installation projects that will provide a surplus of renewable energy to the grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. SUPPORT

SB 58: Interstate Stream Commission Members (Wirth) SB 58 repeals the current statute governing the Interstate Stream Commission. The replacement would be an expanded commission with eight additional members, with additional membership qualifications and requirements – including a ten-year minimum term – and maintain current membership while replacements are found. Current members would remain eligible for continued service. SB 58 also outlines a number of requirements for commission members, including many that transform the commission to a bipartisan, science-professional focused commission. Additionally, it requires members from a tribe or pueblo, giving the commission a much-needed equity perspective on the state’s water resources. SUPPORT

SB 59: Study NM High Speed Railroad (Soules) SB 59 proposes conducting a study into the logistics of constructing a high-speed rail in New Mexico. Such systems work to bring equitable transportation to the communities they serve. They are also an affordable and easy-to-access method of reducing the transportation sector’s carbon footprint. This study allows for the potential for all New Mexicans to benefit from such a railway system. SUPPORT

SB 60: Photovoltaic Systems In New Public Schools (Soules) SB 60 will help to reduce the carbon footprint of new public school construction and operation. Additionally, solar panels will help to keep energy costs down for school districts, promote cleaner air, and provide a vital hands-on learning environment for students. SUPPORT

SB 70: NM Unit Fund Projects (Correa Hemphill) SB 70 appropriates $600,000 from the General Fund over four years to DFA’s local government division for the southwest NM regional planning commission. Its purpose is to provide technical assistance to entities in Grant, Luna, Hidalgo, and Catron counties for the development of water supply projects eligible for funding from the NM Unit Fund. This funding will allow rural entities in those counties to access technical assistance and other resources. This will allow them to adequately develop water supply projects for NM Unit Fund consideration. These water projects could range from ensuring water quality to post-fire watershed health restoration. The funding will also support hiring an additional staff person to focus on the following tasks:

• Ensure compliance of project entity with state auditing
• Infrastructure capital improvement planning
• Facilitate development of project proposals for the NM Unit Fund
• Shepherd proposals through the application process
• Assist with project planning and implementation

SUPPORT

SB 72: Create Wildlife Corridors Fund (Stewart) Accidents related to animal crossings are commonplace, and cost New Mexicans. A price paid not just in dollars. SB 72 appropriates $50 million from the general fund for wildlife studies and the planning, construction and management of safe road crossings for wildlife. These efforts would be timely and align with similar efforts across the country. Colorado passed and signed a $5M annual appropriation in 2022, and Florida’s Republic Senate President announced the expansion of the state’s wildlife corridor as a 2023 legislative priority. SUPPORT

SB 74: Energy Generation Facility Requirements (Soules) SB 74 would ensure that future utility resource plans invest solely in solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and/or hydropower. With the incredible abundance of renewable energy available in our state, this is a logical step in our plans for achieving a zero-emissions economy. Advances in combining renewable energy generation with energy storage systems have demonstrated that this type of generation is ready to deploy at scale. SUPPORT

SB 77: New Home Build Renewable Requirements (Soules) SB 77 amends the Construction Industries Licensing Act to require all new residential construction after July 1, 2023, to have photovoltaic systems installed. These systems are designed to supply usable solar power to residences and be tied to the grid, a hybrid grid, or off-grid system. Ensuring that new construction incorporates solar systems would expand solar energy production statewide while reducing utility bills for homeowners in the long term. SUPPORT 

SB 94: Transfer Rio Grande Trail Administration (Steinborn, Diamond) This bill will transfer authority over the Rio Grande Trail from EMNRD to the Outdoor Recreation Division (ORD). While EMNRD does house much of the state’s land management authorities, the recreational nature of the trail makes it a better fit for ORD. SUPPORT 

SB 112/HB 91: Natural Resources Trustee Changes (Ferrary, Lujan) The Office of the Natural Resources Trustee (ONRT) is generally charged with managing environmental clean-up efforts and expending funds associated with environmental remediation projects. HB 91/SB 112 will expand the powers and duties of the trustee and add more effective tools to the toolkit. This will ensure that the ONRT can fully represent the interests of New Mexicans in the maintenance of a healthy environment. SUPPORT

SB 127: High-Speed Border-to-Border Railroad (Soules) A high-speed rail would give travelers a safe, environmentally friendly, and speedy commute alternative to driving by car. As a result, SB 127 would drastically cut air pollution, and provide a more equitable travel option for families across the state. SUPPORT 

SB 161: Restrict Use Of Certain Pesticides (Stewart) SB 161 will limit the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, with a list of exceptions. Neonicotinoid pesticides have many adverse effects on people, plants, and animals. Pesticides have serious health consequences for humans, but neonicotinoids, in particular, have been linked to mass deaths in bees and other pollinators. Pollinator species are vital to crop and plant health and should be protected, not harmed. SUPPORT 

SB 164: Future Oil & Gas Lease Royalty Rates (Tallman) SB 164 amends the State Land Office lease form for oil and gas land tracts to increase the minimum on royalty payments for oil and gas corporations to 1/4 from 1/5 of the amount and value of oil produced on newly leased land. The bill also requires land lessees to minimize waste, venting, and flaring, and payment of royalties on waste. This change would bring New Mexico’s royalty revenue rate closer to neighboring states, which collect royalties at a much higher rate. SUPPORT

SB 167: Strategic Water Reserve (Stefanics, Wirth, Ortez) SB 167 appropriates $25 million in non-reverting general fund dollars to the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) to administrate the Strategic Water Reserve. This funding will allow the ISC to have reliable funding to act competitively in the leasing or purchasing of water rights from willing sellers and lessors. The Strategic Water Reserve is currently utilized for two purposes: for compact compliance, and to assist the state in the Endangered Species Act compliance. The leasing process can provide much needed financial relief for individual rights holders. At the same time, the water from their lease can stay in the river system, providing benefits to the environment, non-consumptive users, and downstream rights holders. SUPPORT

SB 169: Climate Investment Center & Fund (Hamblen, Maestas, Ortez, Pope, Sedillo Lopez, Stefanics, Steinborn, Stewart) SB 169 creates the Climate Investment Center and Fund. The Investment Center will be tasked with supporting various projects to address climate change’s impacts. This will help ensure that New Mexicans will have the funding and solutions necessary to prepare for and mitigate the consequences of climate change. The goals laid out in SB 169 align with the steps necessary for our state to achieve an equitable transition away from oil and gas. SUPPORT

SB 176: Acequia Fund for Disaster Response (Campos) Similar to the benefits from SB6, ensuring that acequias and community ditches have adequate provisions for disaster response is vital to ensuring the health of their water systems. The changes proposed by SB 176 in process will help prioritize the need and readiness of projects and consideration of acequia and community ditch plans before approval. Additionally, it will double the funding from annual transfer of funds from the NM irrigation works construction fund to the acequia and community ditch infrastructure fund. SUPPORT

SB 238: No Aviation Fuel With Lead Sales (Soules) SB 238 prohibits the sale of aviation fuel containing lead, potentially limiting the widespread exposure to lead. This bill is aligned with a similar prohibition proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. SUPPORT

 SB 243: Plastic Waste Reduction Act (Steinborn +10) SB 243 prohibits the use of single use plastic bags, with a list of exceptions. Plastic pollution is an ongoing issue of global concern. Plastic bags do not completely decompose. Instead they photodegrade, leaving behind microplastic pollution that degrades our water, wildlife and public health. SUPPORT

SB 254: Game & Fish Licensing Fees (Neville, Campos) This increase in Game & Fish license fees will bring some much needed revenue to the state’s Game & Fish Department. The larger proposed fee increase applies only to non-residents seeking hunting and fishing licenses within our state. At the same time, SB 254 establishes a 25% discount for residents of New Mexico, ensuring that our community members are not being priced out of their interests. SUPPORT

SB 266: Retail Distributed Generation (Stefanics, Romero) SB 266 Amends Renewable Energy Act to include a definition for “retail distributed generation”. It also adds a requirement adding retail distributed generation to public utilities’ electric energy supply portfolio, requiring new minimum components of public utility retail sales be from retail distributed generation at certain time-bound intervals. Specifically, no less than 6% by 2026, 8% by 2028; 12% by 2030, and 15% by 2031. Continuing to build out distributed generation resources will help contain energy costs and contribute to grid resiliency. SUPPORT

SJR 6/HJR 4: Environmental Rights, CA (Sedillo Lopez, Pope, Pinto, Ferrary, Lujan) SJR 6 would constitutionally mandate that state and local decision-makers protect the environmental rights of all New Mexicans. This would give communities experiencing environmental injustice legal recourse to protect the air they breathe and the water they drink, and ensure that government decisions prioritize environmental protection for all. SUPPORT