Advocacy Matters

GAAR Legislative Update

January 31, 2018

By Kent Cravens, EVP

The 2018 legislative session has reached the halfway point and as of this writing, it is the last day for bill introduction.  Because this year’s session is 30 days long, bills are limited to dealing only with the budget unless the Governor authorizes other topics with a special message.  The total bill count this year is the lowest in recent memory with a total of 739 items to be considered.  The total will grow with a rush of measures on this, the last day for bill introduction.

GAAR has been monitoring activities and bills as they are introduced and up to now I am happy to report that things are fairly quiet for the Real Estate industry.  Although we are tracking over 50 bills, below is a list of bills that RANM’s legislative committee has taken a position on.

(Click bill number to link to actual legislation)

Affordable Housing:

SB42 - support

MFA VETERAN HOME REHABILITATION

Sponsor 
Richard C. Martinez

ENDORSED BY THE MORTGAGE FINANCE AUTHORITY ACT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THE NEW MEXICO MORTGAGE FINANCE AUTHORITY TO REHABILITATE HOMES OCCUPIED BY LOW-INCOME HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS.

SB 70 – support

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT OVERSIGHT DUTIES

Sponsor 
Stuart Ingle

ENDORSED BY THE MORTGAGE FINANCE AUTHORITY ACT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO FUND THE OVERSIGHT DUTIES RELATED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACT.

Economic Development:

*HB 99 – support

PUBLIC PROJECT REVOLVING FUND PROJECTS

Sponsor 
Patricia A. Lundstrom 

ENDORSED BY THE NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCE; AUTHORIZING THE NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY TO MAKE LOANS FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS FROM THE PUBLIC PROJECT REVOLVING FUND; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

SB 21 – support

RETIRE-IN-NEW MEXICO MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Sponsor 
Michael Padilla 

FOR THE ECONOMIC AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT FOR A RETIREIN-NEW-MEXICO MARKETING CAMPAIGN.

Other:

HB 95

BROADBAND ACCESS UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

Sponsor 
Bill McCamley 

AN ACT RELATING TO TRADE PRACTICES; ENACTING A SECTION OF THE UNFAIR PRACTICES ACT TO PROHIBIT AND MAKE SUBJECT TO PENALTY CERTAIN ACTS.

HB 144 – support

BROADBAND ACCESS UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES 

Sponsor 
Bill McCamley 

AN ACT RELATING TO TRADE PRACTICES; ENACTING A SECTION OF THE UNFAIR PRACTICES ACT TO PROHIBIT AND MAKE SUBJECT TO PENALTY CERTAIN ACTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

SB 39 – support

PROHIBITED BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICE ACTS

Sponsor 
Howie C. Morales 

AN ACT RELATING TO TRADE PRACTICES; ENACTING A SECTION OF THE UNFAIR PRACTICES ACT TO PROHIBIT AND MAKE SUBJECT TO PENALTY CERTAIN ACTS.

HJM 4 – oppose

Christine Trujillo 

STUDY SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX

A JOINT MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS IN REVENUE AND PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES AND THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF A TAX ON SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES IN THE STATE.

SJM 6 – oppose

STUDY SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGE TAX

Gerald Ortiz y Pino

A JOINT MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS IN REVENUE AND PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES AND THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF A TAX ON SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES IN THE STATE.

Of Special Interest:

HB 163 – oppose

UNIMPROVED LAND PROPERTY TAX VALUATION 

Sponsor 
Nate Gentry 

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX; CREATING A SPECIAL METHOD OF VALUATION FOR UNIMPROVED LAND; PROVIDING FOR A RECAPTURE OF TAX SAVINGS IF THE USE OF THE LAND IS CHANGED; ALLOWING A COUNTY ASSESSOR TO CHANGE A PROPERTY TAX SCHEDULE IF THERE WAS A CHANGE OF USE OF THE LAND; REQUIRING DISCLOSURE.

We are closely monitoring bills dealing with tax changes and will report on those if there is any movement or relevant amendments.