You are currently viewing Legislative Session Update 3/17/2021

Legislative Session Update 3/17/2021

HB 148 Unemployment Contribution Rate Change, Rep. Chandler, was tabled in House Appropriations. This was a great win for New Mexico Businesses. This bill was the latest attempt to place the responsibility of replenishing the UI fund on the shoulders of businesses that had no say in the shutdowns. Some businesses are seeing increases on their UI tax rate even though it’s in law that they were supposed to be held harmless.  NMBC will continue to track the situation n NM’s UI tax. 
 

HB 20 Healthy Workplace Act, Reps. Chandler, Rubio, Ely, Roybal Caballero and Sen. Stewart, was sent to Senate Judiciary where it was significantly amended by Senators Cervantes, Pirtle, and Ivey-Soto for which we are very grateful. The 80 hours of additional pandemic paid time off (on top of other paid time off) was removed and the state was added to require the same adherence required by private industry. The state’s intentional omission never should have been in the bill. If it’s good for goose, it’s good for the gander… It’s still a bad bill and highly detrimental for many businesses. It is awaiting a hearing on the Senate floor and, if passed, will go to the Governor. If you have not participated in the Call to Action, please take one minute to do that now.

Click here to take action and stop HB 20

SB 8 Local Government Air Quality Regulations, Sen. Wirth, Lopez, and Reps. Small, Chandler. This bill violates the good faith effort of many parties who came together to establish air quality rules over the past two years. We passed legislation before to allow for the promulgation of rules and that should be completed and not overridden by new legislation.

The bill passed the Senate along party lines with only Senator Munoz voting with Republicans against this bill. It will have to be heard by the full House before going to the Governor. Read more HERE and TAKE ACTION using the link below.

Take Action to help stop this bad legislation

HB 50 Private Right of Action for Certain Statutes, Rep. Louis. This bill makes it easy for anyone – at any time – to sue other parties under Oil and Gas Act, Air Quality Control Act, Hazardous Waste Act, Solid Waste Act, or the Water Quality Act. This bill has passed two committees in the House but hasn’t gotten a floor vote.

 
HB 76 Permit Denial for Poor Compliance, Reps. Chandler and Serrato. 
This bill is a deterrent to operators who will spend both time and financial resources trying to defend their right to safely operate. These are the same operators who bring much needed revenue and jobs to the state and who can be unjustly accused of being a bad actor.
 

It passed two House committees and a single Senate committee on strict party line votes with Republicans voting against. On the House floor, three Democrats (Reps Madrid, Maestas and Sweetser) joined Republicans voting against the bill. It passed the Senate and now heads to the governor.

SB 86 Use of Water for Oil and Gas Operations, Sen. Sedillo Lopez, and Stefanics. This bill would create confusion and problems for the 2019 Produced Water Act, which has only been in effect for less than two years. The Act encouraged the reuse and recycling of produced water – especially in the oilfield. This bill is not necessary, but has passed the Senate and the House and is going to the Governor.
 
SB 149 Prohibit New Fracking Licenses, Rep. Roybal Caballero and Sen. Sedillo Lopez. Seriously? We’re doing this again? This bill would stop the oil and gas industry because when you stop fracking, you stop economical production. It passed a single Senate committee with bipartisan opposition and is sitting in Judiciary. We doubt it will get a hearing in that committee.