Final Bill Action

Gov. Bill Richardson today signed a bill to all people with concealed-carry licenses to take their weapons into restaurants with beer and wine licenses.

“My decision to sign this bill came after much contemplation and thought. I heard strong opinions from both those for and against the bill,” Richardson said in a news release. “As the governor of a western state, I know well the deep feelings that come with such a measure, but I also understand those feelings and beliefs must be tempered by the enactment of certain safeguards.”

Under current state statute and regulation, there's no clear and explicit prohibition on the consumption of alcohol while carrying a concealed weapon, the news release said. Richardson is directing the Department of Public Safety to revise its regulations to make it clear that consumption of alcohol while carrying a concealed weapon is prohibited. He's also encouraging the Legislature to consider measures to make such a prohibition unequivocal in state law.

He also signed SB182, which cancels more than 2,500 stalled capital outlay projects, saving the state an estimated $141 million.

The governor pocket vetoed the Senate's Whistleblower Protection Act, sponsored by Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park. However, earlier he signed an identical measure by Rep. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces.

Richardson still has a couple of weeks to take action on the bills dealing with the budget and taxes that came out of the special session.

Here's a list of the action he took on bills from the regular session.

Action Date – January 28

HB 1 Feed Bill (partial veto)

Action Date – February 8

HB 64 School Equalization Distribution Date Change

Action Date – February 23

SB 6 Create Additional Judgeships

Action Date - February 26

SB 12 HIV At-Risk Individual Partner Services

SB 32 DWI Chemical Test Fee Increase

SB 41 Notice to Land Grants of Nearby Surveys

SB 226 Magistrate Courts Operations Fund & Fees

Action Date - February 27

HB 112 Las Cruces Tax Increment Project Bonds

HB 165 Whistleblower Protection Act

SB 9 Space Flight Informed Consent Act

SB 95 Las Cruces Tax Increment Project Bonds

SB 279 Colonias Infrastructure Act & Fund

Action Date – March 1

SB 18 Changes to State Investment Bodies

SB 138 Limit Appraisal Management Company Fees


Action Date – March 2

HB 16 Retirement Beneficiary De-selection Option

HB 80 Mining Emergency Notice Appeals

HB 264 Indian Law Institute for Legislators

SB 59 Extend gas Tax Sharing Agreement Terms

SB 120 NMFA Securities Requirements

SB 144 Affordable Housing Tax Credit Use & Vouchers

SB 207 Public Employees Returning to Work

Action Date – March 3

HB 53 Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement

HB 63 HIV Testing for Certain Crimes

HB 81 Petroleum Storage Tank Definition Changes

HB 198 Voting System Maintenance and Storage

HB 207 Interlock Fund Eligibility

HB 233 No Solar Panels as Property Tax Improvements

SB 94 Land Grant Tort Liability Coverage

SB 129 Continue Military & Vets’ Affairs Committee

SB 264 Interim Disabilities Concerns Subcommittee


Action Date – March 4

HB 203 Business Retention Gross Tax & Gaming Tax


Action Date – March 5

HB 90 Native American Schools Dual Credit Program

HB 162 Severance Bonds for Tribal Infrastructure

SB 55 Missing Person & Amber Alert Info & Training

SB 107 Indian Arts & Craft Crime Consistencies

SB 167 Add Domestic Abuse to Missing Persons Info

SB 195 Sunshine Portal Transparency Act


Action Date – March 6

HB 15 Create Eastern NM Water Utility Authority

HB 93 Certain Auto Dealer Acts as Unlawful

SB 58 Certain Auto Dealer Acts as Unlawful


Action Date – March 8

HB 8 Development Training Funds

HB 24 Educational Opportunity for Military Children

HB 25 Online & Phone Driver’s License Renewal

HB 26 Medical-Assistance Home Program Osteopathy

HB 30 Capital Outlay Gross Receipts Restrictions

HB 37 Military Discount for Hunting Licenses

HB 38 Public Project Revolving Loan Fund Projects

HB 56 NMFA Water Fund Projects

HB 74 Charter School Oversight for 1 Year

HB 79 Tobacco Settlement Fund Distribution

HB 101 Nuclear Worker’s Assistance Fund

HB 108 Drinking Water System Financing

HB 109 Human Services Department Contractor Procedures

HB 113 Aquatic Invasive Species Control

HB 114 Postpone Fire Protection Fund Distribution

HB 120 Tax Withholding Changes

HB 127 Qualified Minors on Precinct Boards

HB 131 Consumer Reporting Info Removal for ID Theft

HB 144 Unemployment Contribution Schedule

HB 145 Qualified School Construction Bonds

HB 171 Transport of Dairy Waste for Gas Tax Credit

HB 201 Add Diseases to Tests for Newborns

HB 204 Transportation Services Definitions

HB 205 Mortgage Foreclosure Consultant Fraud

HB 216 Medical Insurance Pool High Risk Programs

HB 217 No Abuse In Resident or Care Provider Homes

HB 230 Dyslexic Student Intervention

HB 231 Disclosure of Educational Pension Amounts

HB 239 No Educational Retirement Benefit Adjustments

HB 261 Solar & Wind Energy Equipment Gross Receipts

HB 266 Unexpended Funds for NM Recovery Fund

SB 2 Domestic Violence Household Member Defined

SB 26 Create NM Domestic Violence Commission

SB 47 Economic Development Tax Incentive Changes

SB 60 Hazardous Duty Officers’ Employee Relations

SB 66 Economic Development Revolving Fund Projects

SB 70 Continuing Care Community Consumer Protection

SB 77 State Agency Credit Card Processing Fees

SB 85 School Leadership Institute

SB 87 Delay School Year & Day Length Changes

SB 91 Delay Educational Retirement Contributions

SB 97 School District Budget Flexibility

SB 100 Fire Protection Grants as Volunteer Stipends

SB 137 Alternative Driver’s License Renewal

SB 152 College Student Lists to Credit Companies

SB 162 County Gross Receipts Tax for County Projects

SB 186 Natural Heritage Conservation Act

SB 193 Fishing License For Certain Military Members

SB 200 Public Building Energy Efficiency Standards

SB 201 Electric Generating Facility Gross Receipts

SB 209 Disabled-Accessible Parking Changes

SB 234 County Hospital Gross Receipts Purposes

SB 254 Consideration of Crime Conviction for Jobs

Action Date – March 9

HB 12 Health Insurer Service Reimbursement

HB 208 Oil & Gas Tax to Reclamation Fund

HB 229 Establish Metro Court in Certain Counties

HB 237 Government Restructuring Task Force

HB 269 Utility Right-of-Way Access

SB 1 School Athlete Head Injury Safety Protocols

SB 148 No Use of Gender for Health Insurance Rating

SB 216 Repeal “Guilty But Mentally Ill” Plea


Action Date - March 10

HB 44 Health Education Required for Graduation

HB 68 Public School Capital Outlay Omnibus Bill

HB 69 Reporting of Cohort Graduation Data

HB 70 Educational Data System

HB 71 Mentorship Requirements for Level 1 Teachers

HB 150 Hispanic Education Act

HB 181 Public Utility Definitions & Cost Recovery

HB 227 School Board Finance & Audit Committees

HB 232 Standardized School Finance Reporting Dates

SB 40 Concealed Guns in Certain Restaurants

SB 111 Additional Teacher Evaluation Standards

SB 132 Hispanic Education Act

SB 134 Military Veteran Lottery Scholarship

SB 182 Capital Outlay Reversions for Solvency

SB 190 Public Utility Definitions & Cost Recovery


Vetoed Legislation (March 10)

SB 165 Delay School Athletics Equity Act

Pocket Vetoes

HB 21 School Priority for Certain Students

HB 116 Game & Fish Licenses for Military on Leave

HB 197 Severance Fund Investment in Renewable Energy

HB 247 LFC Oversight of Certain Federal Funds

SB 78 Alternative School Curricular Plans

SB 84 New School Sustainability Features

SB 96 Whistleblower Protection Act

SB 156 Human Services Department Contractor Compensation