The Workforce Solutions Department would manage the program. The definition of family member is broad to include an applicant’s spouse or domestic partner or a person related to an applicant or applicant’s spouse or domestic partner such as a grandchild, grandparent, a biological, foster, step or adopted sibling; a spouse or domestic partner of a family member, an individual whose close association with the applicant or domestic partner is the equivalent of a family relationship. The bill included several other categories of family members. The bill also provided for the Paid Family and Medical Leave program to pay an eligible applicant a percentage of the employee’s wages to allow the applicant to bond with a new child, care for a family member, prepare for and adjust to a spouse’s military deployment or to take action to protect the employee or the employee’s family member from certain forms of violence. Also included is a preemption for similar programs, which was extremely narrow. The legislation would provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave and nine weeks paid medical and safe leave, which could eventually increase to 12 weeks. Interchange (HB 476): The bill did not pass; NMBA opposed it. The bill would have prohibited interchange on the tax and tip portion of every credit and debit transaction. Illinois is the only state with a law similar to HB 476. That law is being litigated in federal court, and the judge in that case has ruled based on preemption that Illinois state-chartered banks and credit unions are the only financial institutions required to comply. Medicaid Trust Fund (SB 88): The bill passed; NMBA supported it. The bill will establish a permanent fund to support the state’s largest health care expense, Medicaid. The bill proposes an initial investment of $300 million and a variety of ongoing funding sources to increase the fund to $2 billion, including unspent capital outlay dollars. When the trust fund reaches its target level, it will generate $100 million yearly for the state’s share of the Medicaid program. Every one of those state dollars is matched by $3 in federal funding, meaning that this fund will ultimately generate $400 million annually, making it an extremely valuable long-term return on investment for all New Mexicans. Those dollars can help the state raise the reimbursement rates for health care providers who treat patients insured under Medicaid — 42% of all New Mexicans. Increasing those reimbursement rates will help New Mexico recruit and retain more doctors since New Mexico has a higher proportion of patients insured by Medicaid than any other state, and Medicaid often pays less than the cost of providing treatment. The governor signed the bill into law. Conservator Liability (HB 125): The bill did not pass; NMBA supported it. The bill allows courts presiding over a conservatorship to enter orders to approve actions or proposed actions or conservator reports if and only if the conservator files a petition and notifies the protected person, the conservator and other persons determined by the court and the court conducts a hearing with notice having been provided to the same parties. In the case of the death of the protected person, notice would have to be given to that person’s heirs and the personal representative named in the deceased person’s last will and testament. Releases of liability for conservators signed by the protected person are invalid. Investment of Government Funds by State Treasurer (HB 541): The bill did not pass; NMBA supported it. The bill would have expressly authorized the state treasurer to invest funds in the same vehicles as those currently authorized for county and municipal treasurers, including “federally insured obligations, including brokered certificates of deposit, certificate of deposit account placement services and federally insured cash accounts.” These “federally insured obligations” consist of deposits placed at network banks through a deposit placement network. Redaction of Public Records (SB 171): The bill did not pass; NMBA supported it. The bill amends existing law that provides most documents filed with the county clerk are public to allow for certain personal information to be redacted if the document is requested by a third party. Specifically, the county clerk could redact the month and day of the date of birth and all but the four last digits of a social security number or driver’s license number. Other bills monitored by the NMBA included (not a complete listing): • Prevailing Wage on IRB Projects (HB 6): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Embezzlement Penalty Enhancement (SB 155): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • State Fairgrounds District Act (SB 481): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Local Government Rent Control (SB 216): Bill did not pass. • Student Loan Bill of Rights (HB 224): Bill did not pass. • Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (SB 275): Bill did not pass. • Veteran Property Tax Exemption (HB 47): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Oil and Gas Royalty Rate Increase (SB 23): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Technology and Innovation (HB 20): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Strategic Economic Development Site Readiness (SB 169): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • High Wage Jobs Tax Credit (HB 368): Bill passed. Signed by governor. • Housing Trust Fund (SB 145): Bill did not pass. • Baby Bonds (SB 397): Bill did not pass. • Unfair Trade Practices Act (HB 61): Bill did not pass. • Deposit of Will (HB 132): Bill did not pass. • Increase Corporate Income Tax (SB 141): Bill did not pass. 8
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