HOUSE BILL 287
57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026
INTRODUCED BY
Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson and Javier Martínez
and Joanne J. Ferrary and Reena Szczepanski
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE; INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS THAT COMPRISE THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE; ASSIGNING DUTIES; PROVIDING FOR YEAR-ROUND STAFF; REQUIRING PERSONS WHO RECEIVE STATE FUNDING TO COMPLY WITH LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION; ESTABLISHING THE COMMITTEE'S POWER TO ADMINISTER OATHS AND ISSUE SUBPOENAS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 2-3-14.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1985, Chapter 19, Section 1) is amended to read:
"2-3-14.1. STATE AGENCIES--REPORTS.--
A. No state agency shall submit or send to the members of the legislature any material, other than proposed legislation, in excess of five pages.
B. Nothing in this section shall limit the response of any agency to a direct request of a legislator or group of legislators [nor] or the submission of the executive budget.
C. All reports to the legislature by a state agency shall be filed in duplicate with the legislative council service, and such reports shall not be subject to the page limitations of this section. The legislative council service shall compile a list of the reports submitted prior to each regular legislative session since the beginning of the previous regular session, listing the title and agency [and]. The legislative council service shall distribute the list [among the] to legislators during the first week of the session.
D. Any legislator may request any report from any person who receives money from the state, including those listed pursuant to Subsection C of this section. Upon such a request, the state agency shall furnish the report to the legislator.
E. Compliance by a state agency with Subsection C of this section shall fulfill any requirement of a state agency to report to the legislature, unless the requirement is specifically exempted from the requirements of this section.
F. No state agency shall submit material bound other than by staples unless the bulk or other qualities of the material require other bindings; provided that, in all cases, the most economical method of binding and packaging shall be used.
G. For the purposes of this section, "state agency" means any agency, division or instrumentality of the state, but does not include political subdivisions and educational institutions or any of the legislature's [divsions] divisions, instrumentalities or committees."
SECTION 2. Section 2-13-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 349, Section 1) is amended to read:
"2-13-1. CREATION OF COMMITTEE--MEMBERS--APPOINTMENT--TERMS.--
A. There is created a permanent joint [interim] committee of the legislature to be called the "legislative health and human services committee". The committee shall be composed of [eight] twelve members. [The legislative council shall appoint four] Six members from the house of representatives [and four] shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. Six members from the senate [At the time of making the appointment, the legislative council shall designate the chairman and vice chairman of the committee] shall be appointed by the committees' committee of the senate or, if the senate appointments are made in the interim, by the president pro tempore of the senate after consultation with and agreement of a majority of the members of the committees' committee. Members shall be appointed so as to give the two major political parties in each house the same proportionate representation on the committee as prevails in each house; provided that in no event shall either of such parties have less than one member from each house on the committee. [Members may be removed from the committee by the legislative council, at the request of the committee chairman, for nonattendance according to council policy.] Vacancies on the committee, however caused, may be filled [by the legislative council, or the council may reduce the size of the committee by not making replacement appointments and in such case need not readjust party representation] for the unexpired term by appointment from the house of representatives or senate by the respective appointing authority that makes the original appointments and subject to the same recommendations; provided that the new members shall be from the same house of the legislature and the same party from which their predecessors were appointed. No action shall be taken by the committee if a majority of the total membership from either house on the committee rejects such action.
B. The chair and vice chair shall be appointed for terms coterminous with their membership on the committee. The chair and vice chair shall alternate between the respective houses every two years. For the terms beginning in 2026, the chair shall be a house member, and the vice chair shall be a senate member. The appointing authority of each house shall exercise its appointing authority by naming the chair and vice chair, respectively, on this alternating basis."
SECTION 3. Section 2-13-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 349, Section 2) is amended to read:
"2-13-2. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE.--The legislative health and human services committee shall [conduct a continuing study of] monitor and oversee the programs, agencies, policies, issues and needs relating to health and human services, including [review and study] monitoring and oversight of the statutes, constitutional provisions, regulations and court decisions governing such programs, agencies, policies and issues. The committee shall also [study] monitor and oversee the full continuum of programs and services available and needed for [children families and the aging population] New Mexico residents. The committee shall make an annual report of its findings and recommendations and recommend any necessary legislation to each session of the legislature."
SECTION 4. Section 2-13-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 349, Section 5) is amended to read:
"2-13-5. STAFF.--
A. The position of "director of the legislative health and human services committee" is created. The director shall be hired by the legislative health and human services committee and shall serve at the pleasure of the committee. The director shall be provided with the necessary office space, supplies, equipment and assistance by the legislative council service. The director's salary shall be set by the committee.
B. The [staff for the] legislative health and human services committee shall [be provided by the legislative council service] have a year-round staff assigned exclusively to carrying out the duties of the committee. The director shall hire the staff for the legislative health and human services committee, which shall include individuals with expertise in behavioral health, health equity, social justice, law, policy or finance related to health care, including behavioral health care, or human services."
SECTION 5. A new Section 2-13-7 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:
"2-13-7. [NEW MATERIAL] SUBPOENA POWER.--The legislative health and human services committee may conduct hearings and administer oaths. The legislative health and human services committee may issue a subpoena to any agency or institution of the state and its political subdivisions, any contractor working on behalf of the state or its political subdivisions and any entity that receives state funding upon a vote of a majority of the members of the committee. The subpoena may be enforced through any district court of the state. Process of the committee shall be served by any sheriff or any member of the New Mexico state police and shall be served without cost to the committee or its subcommittees."
SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund staffing for and the activities of the legislative health and human services committee pursuant to this act. Any unexpended balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2027 shall revert to the general fund.
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