Tax credits, rape kits & highways: Find out what bills your Eddy Co. Senators are sponsoring

Lawmakers had until Jan. 31 to introduce bills for consideration by the Legislature during this year’s session, running from Jan. 16 to Feb. 15, and potential signature into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

As of Wednesday, there were 641 bills, memorials and resolutions introduced in the New Mexico House and Senate.

Here’s what senators representing Eddy County filed during this session, as of the day of the deadline.

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Sen. David Gallegos, Republican, District 41 – Eddy and Lea

Senate Bill 61: This bill will increase the cost limit placed on contacts for architectural and engineering services that the state or local governments may enter in to. It passed the Health and Public Affairs Committee and was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further review.

Senate Bill 91: This will codify into law the legal right of people to leave infants with first responders or safety devices like “baby boxes” installed at public safety buildings throughout the state. It would also appropriate $500,000 of state money to the Public Education Department to inform the public about the locations of such devices. This bill was sent to the Committees Committee and was awaiting assignment for consideration.

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Senate Bill 112: Pregnant women in their third trimester will be issued temporary parking placards noting their mobility limitations and allowing them to park in designated for the disabled. It was also awaiting assignment from the Committees Committee.

Senate Bill 117: A state tax credit given to those who adopt children with special needs would be increased from $1,000 each year to $1,500. SB 117 is scheduled for a Jan. 30 hearing in the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee.

Senate Bill 154: If passed, this bill would add new requirements to sexual assault investigations, requiring rape kits be sent to a lab within 30 days of receiving the sample, and that the survivor be informed of any DNA matches within five days. The crime lab would be required to complete its examination of the kit with 180 days of receiving it or notify the survivor of the estimated date. SB 154 was being considered for assignment by the Senate Committees Committee.

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Sen. Ron Griggs, Republican, District 34 – Eddy, Otero and Doña Ana

Senate Bill 4: Municipalities would be able to charge businesses an increased 7 percent occupancy tax, known as lodgers’ tax, on revenue from rent paid for hotels and other lodging with the city or town for no more than 30 days. County governments would see their cap increase to 5 percent. SB 4 was awaiting a committee assignment.

Senate Bill 22: This bill would allow owners of shopping malls to claim an up to $250,000 tax credit for renovation expenses at shopping malls, applying the state and local gross receipts tax rates to the costs. This bill was assigned to the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee.

Senate Bill 64: Oil and gas operators would be exempted from severance taxes if they produce natural gas from a low-performing or “stripper well” generating either crude oil or natural gas, or certain other fossil fuel operations. It was awaiting assignment.

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Senate Bill 65: This would amend the distribution of the New Mexico’s motor vehicle excise tax, sending 60 percent to the State Road Fund and 40 percent to the Transportation Project Fund. SB 65 is in the Senate, Tax, Business and Transportation Fund.

Senate Bill 200: A $2.5 million appropriation would be made to the New Mexico Environment Department for improvements to the Timberon Water and Sanitation District in Otero County, between 2025 and 2028. This was being considered by the Senate Conservation Committee.

Senate Joint Resolution 11: The next general election would include a ballot question asking voters to approve changes to New Mexico’s bail system for criminal suspects, removing the requirement that a person must be charged with a felony to be held without bail. This was assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.

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Sen. Steven McCutcheon, Republican, District 41 – Eddy, Lea and Chaves

Senate Bill 100: The City of Hobbs would receive $25 million in state funds to replace money purported to be lost from a change in gross receipts tax law that sent the taxes to business that operate in Lea County but are based in the city. Assigned to the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee.

Senate Bill 155: This would do the same thing as SB 100, but for the City of Carlsbad, and was assigned to the same committee.

Senate Bill 172: This would strip the authority of the Forestry Division within New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to acquire lands for forest preservation projects. Awaiting assignment.

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Senate Bill 173: EMNRD would lose the authority to acquire agricultural easements on private land for conservation projects. It’s awaiting assignment.

Senate Bill 198: The State Game Commission’s power to acquire land would be altered by this bill to not require the agency do so for its work, and require that in acquiring land the Commission receive written approval from local agencies and the New Mexico Legislature. Awaiting assignment.

Sen. Cliff Pirtle, Republican, District 32 – Eddy, Otero and Chaves

Senate Bill 104: This would send $250 million to the Department of Transportation for improvements on U.S. Highway 380 from Chaves County to the Texas State Line, reverting any remaining dollars back to the General Fund after Fiscal Year 2027.

Senate Joint Resolution 14: A ballot question would ask if New Mexico should consent to three or more counties seceding from the state if 15 percent of voters approve a special election, and two-thirds of voters in that election approve their county to leave New Mexico. County commissions would also have to approve of joining the other counties in secession, and each county would have to pay outstanding debt to New Mexico.

Language in this resolution also required a federal law be enacted allowing counties to secede from their states. This was in the Senate Rules Committee.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: A list of the 2024 bills sponsored by Eddy County senators this session