With New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session set to convene on January 20, lawmakers have already begun shaping the policy agenda through a series of prefiled House bills. While prefiling does not guarantee that legislation will advance, it often signals which proposals leadership hopes to move quickly during the short session, where time constraints limit lengthy debate.
The early slate of bills touches on a wide range of issues, including landscaping mandates on state property, firearm restrictions tied to juvenile records, artificial intelligence regulation, public library oversight, lobbying disclosures, and agricultural property taxes. Together, they offer a preview of the policy direction lawmakers may pursue in the weeks ahead — and raise questions about cost, enforcement, and the expanding role of state government.
One of the more notable prefiled measures is House Bill 23, sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho). The bill would prohibit the installation of what it defines as “nonfunctional turf” on property managed by the General Services Department or the Legislative Council Service beginning in 2028. It further restricts irrigation of such turf to recycled or reclaimed water starting in 2033 and requires removed turf to be replaced with drought- or climate-resilient landscaping. “Nonfunctional turf” is defined as irrigated grass that “has no recreational purpose, is not accessible or is primarily decorative.”
Unlike a similar proposal introduced during the 2025 session that would have applied to cities and counties statewide — and ultimately failed — the new bill is limited to state-managed property. Even so, the legislation includes a $3.5 million general fund appropriation to carry out its provisions, prompting scrutiny over whether landscaping decisions warrant new spending commitments.
Firearm policy is also part of the early agenda. House Bill 25, also sponsored by Cates, expands restrictions by treating certain juvenile delinquency dispositions involving firearms as criminal convictions for the purpose of firearm possession. The bill requires those records to be transmitted to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System for up to ten years, regardless of whether the individual was sentenced as an adult.
Supporters describe the measure as a public safety tool, while critics argue it alters long-standing distinctions between juvenile adjudications and adult convictions.
Emerging technology regulation appears in House Bill 28, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos). The bill enacts the “Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act,” requiring disclosure when artificial intelligence systems are used to make “consequential decisions” involving areas such as employment, housing, education, lending, health care, or legal services. It also mandates notice and appeal rights for consumers and imposes requirements on AI “companion products,” with violations classified as unfair trade practices.
The scope of the bill has raised questions about compliance costs and enforcement authority.
Cultural and governance issues surface in House Bill 26, which prohibits “book banning” at public libraries and conditions state funding on compliance. The bill restricts the removal of materials based on content or viewpoint and assigns enforcement to the state’s cultural affairs department, which would extend to even pornographic books and other inappropriate material that currently exists in public school libraries.
Other prefiled legislation includes House Bill 35, which expands lobbying disclosure requirements and mandates detailed reporting within 48 hours, with records preserved for at least ten years, which previously failed, and House Bill 37, which adjusts agricultural property tax valuation when water shortages result from man-made infrastructure failures in special water districts.
As lawmakers prepare to return to Santa Fe, these early filings offer a first look at the policy debates likely to unfold under the tight timelines of a 30-day session — and the balance the Legislature will strike between regulation, cost, and state oversight.
So basically nothing of any worth except you can bank on increased taxes.
another 30 days of nothingness at The Clown House in Santa Fe. The blind leading the blind in Santa Fe, and congratulating themselves the entire time. Zozobra isnt the only one getting burned in Santa Fe, the tax payer gets torched every session.
So, those that know nothing about agriculture want to tell those in agriculture what they can and can’t do. All about control. And they wonder why folks are leaving this state. I see nothing about a change to malpractice insurance. Nothing about doctors leaving, nothing about a beneficial change to the criminal justice system. Doing the same thing over and over the same way and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity!
I have 2 thoughts here.
1) Nothing on Criminal Justice Reform, stopping the revolving door policy and nothing on refining the Juvenile Justice System.
2) NOTHING PRE-Filed by the Republicians……WHY…..
No wonder we are so far behind and letting the Dems run all over us.
The earlier comment is right. We absolutely need malpractice insurance reform based on limitations on court penalties. Deal with the problem through licensing cancellation not through awarding huge court decisions to the trial lawyers.
You are never going to get any meaningful crime legislation as long as you have lawyers elected to represent you. That will cut off the money train. Even if by chance something did slip by and was passed our worthless corrupt AG would not enforce it. So don’t expect anything except more grief this session. As long as Albuquerque and Santa Fe have the majority of the votes in the legislature nothing is going to change. Redisticting has to take place. Two representatives and one senator from each county then we have equal representation.
Grannie and Mike2 said my thoughts almost to a tee. I have seen little presentations from our Republican representatives and our Governor candidates seem nearly non existent except for one who just got his signature requirement done. We must start making some noise if we want to be heard or the Dems will win again.