HB0250

HOUSE BILL 250

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Meredith A. Dixon

AN ACT

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; CHANGING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION NETWORK ADVISORY BOARD, THE ADVISORY BOARD'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEES CREATED BY THE ADVISORY BOARD; REMOVING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, NAVAJO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS CORE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD; REMOVING REPRESENTATIVES OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE NOT OTHERWISE REPRESENTED AS MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD; REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD TO NINE PUBLIC MEMBERS WITH EXPERIENCE IN INVESTMENT OR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT IN FOUR OF THE TARGET SECTORS; REMOVING TWO PUBLIC MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT THAT ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY SHALL BE A MEMBER OF A SUBCOMMITTEE CREATED BY THE ADVISORY BOARD; MAKING CONFORMING AMENDMENTS; ENACTING TEMPORARY PROVISIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER REMOVED BY THIS ACT AND FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS CREATED BY THIS ACT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1. Section 9-15-15.4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2025, Chapter 133, Section 3) is amended to read:

"9-15-15.4. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION NETWORK ADVISORY BOARD--CREATED--MEMBERS--DUTIES.--

A. The "technology and innovation network advisory board" is created in the technology and innovation division of the department. [The advisory board consists of an executive committee and any subcommittees created by the executive committee.] The advisory board is composed of the following members:

(1) the secretary or the secretary's designee, to serve as chair;

(2) [eleven] eight members who may collectively be referred to as "core members", including the president of the New Mexico independent community colleges or that president's designee, the president of the New Mexico chamber of commerce or that president's designee and one representative from [each of the following]:

(a) Sandia national laboratories;

(b) Los Alamos national laboratory;

(d) New Mexico state university;

(e) the university of New Mexico; and

[(f) the university of New Mexico health sciences center;

(g)] (f) the New Mexico institute of mining and technology; and

[(h) Navajo technical university; and

(i) central New Mexico community college;

(3) a representative from each center of excellence established pursuant to Section 21-1-27.11 NMSA 1978 that is not otherwise represented on the board; and

(4) the following public members to be

appointed by the secretary:

(a) one representative from a skilled trades association in New Mexico;

(b) one representative from a regional economic development organization;

(d) one representative from the private equity industry with at least five years of relevant experience;

(e) one representative from the venture capital industry with at least five years of relevant experience;

(f) one representative from the private sector who owns a business and who, on account of the person's previous vocation, employment or affiliation, cannot be classified as a representative of employers or employees;

(g) one representative from a New Mexico business incubator or accelerator with at least five years of relevant experience; and

(h) eight representatives who are industry alliance members or have at least five years of relevant experience working in entrepreneurial support. Two representatives shall be from each of the following four target sectors: aerospace and space, biosciences, clean energy and water and advanced computing]

(3) nine public members appointed by the secretary who have experience in investment or entrepreneurial support in the target sectors of aerospace and space, biosciences, clean energy and water or advanced computing.

B. The technology and innovation network advisory board [is created to unite various sector perspectives to assist in the guidance and ongoing strategic planning of the division. The advisory board] shall:

(1) unite various sector perspectives and assist in and guide the ongoing strategic planning of the division;

[(1)] (2) provide [to] the technology and innovation division with recommendations for strategic engagement [industry perspective] and for sectors that the division should make target sectors and with industry perspectives and feedback on the division's programs and initiatives;

[(2)] (3) assist with ensuring active engagement between the state and the private sector;

[(3)] (4) assist the technology and innovation division with administering the Research, Development and Deployment Fund Act, including providing recommendations to that division for eligibility requirements, funding priorities and the awarding of project funding; and

[(4)] (5) publish annual performance reports by December of each year that identify near-term constraints, [and] challenges [identify] and opportunities and long-term trends and that provide sector survey metrics and policy recommendations.

C. The technology and innovation network advisory board shall meet [beginning in 2025, not less than] at least quarterly or at the call of the chair or at the request of two-fifths of its membership [to carry out its duties]. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and the support of a majority of the quorum is required for adoption of any action.

D. Appointments to the technology and innovation network advisory board shall be made [by] before September 1, 2025, and the terms of service of appointed members [shall start] begin on September 1, 2025. The [terms shall be] term of service of a technology and innovation network advisory board member is four years; [and] provided that the initial terms shall be staggered so that the terms of one-half of the members shall expire at the end of the initial two years and the terms of the remaining members shall expire at the end of the initial four years. The initial terms shall be selected by random drawing.

E. Each member of the technology and innovation network advisory board shall [pursuant to a policy adopted by and on forms required by the executive committee of the board] disclose conflicts of interest annually in accordance with procedures adopted by the board's executive committee.

F. In the event of a vacancy on the technology and innovation network advisory board, a new member shall be appointed by the original appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. A member may be removed by the secretary or by a two-thirds' vote of the executive committee members.

G. Public members of the technology and innovation network advisory board are entitled to [receive] per diem and mileage reimbursement as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

H. [The staff for the technology and innovation network advisory board shall be provided by] The technology and innovation division of the department [and the staff] shall provide staff for the technology and innovation network advisory board to:

(1) provide administrative and technical support for the advisory board;

(2) [assistance] assist with the coordination and documentation of board, executive committee and subcommittee meetings;

(3) [assistance] assist with reporting requirements and metric tracking; and

(4) support with the administration of grants."

SECTION 2. Section 9-15-15.5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2025, Chapter 133, Section 4) is amended to read:

"9-15-15.5. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION NETWORK ADVISORY BOARD--EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE--SUBCOMMITTEES--COMPOSITION AND DUTIES.--

[A. There is created within the technology and innovation network advisory board an executive committee.

B.] A. The technology and innovation network advisory board has an executive committee [is composed] that consists of the following members of the [technology and innovation network advisory] board:

(1) the chair;

(2) two core members; and

[(3) two of the public members appointed by the secretary; and

(4)] (3) one representative from each of the following [four] target sectors:

(a) aerospace and space;

(b) biosciences;

(d) advanced computing.

[C.] B. The executive committee shall oversee the technology and innovation network advisory board's operations, set meeting agendas, review and approve subcommittee recommendations and make time-sensitive decisions between full board meetings.

[D.] C. The technology and innovation network advisory board may create subcommittees related to a target sector. A subcommittee shall [be composed of the] include two representatives from the corresponding target sector, one representative from a laboratory, one representative from a university [one representative from private industry] and the secretary or the secretary's designee to serve as chair. The subcommittee members shall elect a vice chair. A member of the public may apply to the executive committee to be a nonvoting member of a subcommittee [and the executive committee shall adopt] in accordance with policies and procedures [necessary for such an application and evaluation process] adopted by the executive committee.

[E.] D. A subcommittee created by the technology and innovation network advisory board shall develop sector-specific metrics and goals, review and assess relevant grant proposals, monitor sector performance and trends, prepare annual reports and identify cross-sector opportunities.

[F.] E. Beginning September 1, 2025, the executive committee [beginning September 1, 2025] and any subcommittees created shall meet [not less than] at least quarterly or at the call of the chair or at the request of two-fifths of its membership [to carry out its duties]. A majority of the members of a subcommittee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and the support of a majority of the quorum is required for adoption of any action."

SECTION 3. TEMPORARY PROVISION.--

A. The term of service for members of the technology and innovation network advisory board appointed pursuant to the following paragraphs and subparagraphs shall expire on the effective date of this act:

(1) Subparagraphs (f), (h) and (i) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of Section 3 of Chapter 133 of Laws 2025;

(2) Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of Section 3 of Chapter 133 of Laws 2025; and

(3) Paragraph (4) of Subsection A of Section 3 of Chapter 133 of Laws 2025.

B. The term of service for a member of a subcommittee created by the technology and innovation network advisory board appointed as "one representative from private industry" pursuant to Subsection D of Section 4 of Chapter 133 of Laws 2025 shall expire on the effective date of this act.

C. Members to fill the positions on the technology and innovation network advisory board created by Section 1 of this act shall be appointed on or before July 1, 2026.

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