HOUSE BILL 260

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

INTRODUCED BY

Randall T. Pettigrew and John Block

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO CRIME; CREATING THE CRIME OF MAKING A FALSE MATERIAL STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATURE.

 

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 30 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] MAKING A FALSE MATERIAL STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATURE.--

          A. Making a false material statement to the legislature consists of a person making a statement that the person knows to be untrue in a proceeding before the legislature, including a hearing of a standing or interim committee of the legislature, to the issue or matter of which the person making the statement has been requested to testify, regardless of whether the statement is made under oath, affirmation or penalty of perjury; provided that the provisions of this subsection do not apply to a statement made by a member of the public during a designated period for public comment at a hearing of a standing or interim committee of the legislature. A member of the legislature who heard the testimony may refer to the district attorney of the district in which the false material statement was made.

          B. A person who commits making a false material statement to the legislature is guilty of a fourth degree felony."

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