SENATE BILL 134
57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026
INTRODUCED BY
Linda M. López and Harold Pope and Shannon D. Pinto
and Angel M. Charley and Martin Hickey
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE; CREATING A NEW PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE; REPEALING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] CREATION OF COMMITTEE--MEMBERS--NUMBER--APPOINTMENT--TERM OF OFFICE.--
A. A permanent joint interim committee of the legislature to be called the "legislative health and human services committee" is created. The committee shall be composed of ten members, four from the senate and six from the house of representatives. Members of the house of representatives and senate standing committees on health shall be represented. The committee members shall be appointed for two-year terms that shall expire on the first day of each odd-year session. The term of a member shall terminate when the member ceases to be a member of the legislature. Members shall be appointed by the senate committees' committee or, if the appointment is 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, and the speaker of the house of representatives; provided that members of a minority party shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives only from recommendations made by the minority floor leader of the house of representatives, although the speaker shall retain the right to reject any such recommendations. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled for the unexpired term by the respective appointing authority that makes the original appointments and subject to the same recommendations; provided that members shall be appointed from the respective houses, parties and committees so as to maintain the same number of house of representatives and senate members and the same representation of standing committees as provided in the original appointments. Each of the two parties having the largest number of members in the legislature shall be represented on the committee in proportion to the membership of such party in each house; provided that in the computation, major fractions shall be counted as whole numbers, and in no event shall either of the two major parties have fewer than one member from each house.
B. The chair and vice chair of the committee shall be appointed for terms coterminous with their membership on the committee. Each office shall be alternated between the respective houses every two years. For the terms beginning in 2026, the chair shall be a senate member and the vice chair, if any, shall be a house of representatives member, and the officers appointed in 2026 shall serve only one year. The appointing authority of each house shall exercise its appointing authority by naming the chair or vice chair respectively on this alternating basis.
C. An action shall not be taken by the committee if a majority of the total membership from either house on the committee rejects such action.
SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DIRECTOR OF THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.--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 committee's pleasure. The director shall be provided with the necessary office space, supplies, equipment and assistants by the committee. The director's salary shall be set by the committee.
SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE.--
The legislative health and human services committee shall:
A. direct the work of the director of the legislative health and human services committee;
B. conduct a continuing study of all health and human services provided in New Mexico, the laws governing such services and the policies and costs of the state's health and human services system;
C. recommend changes in laws relating to the provision of health and human services, if any are deemed desirable, and draft and present to the legislature any legislation necessary; and
D. make a full report of the committee's findings and recommendations for the consideration of each odd-year legislative session on or before the tenth day thereof and may make additional reports as the committee deems necessary.
SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE--STAFF TRAVEL.--The members of the legislative health and human services committee shall receive reimbursement for expenses for attending meetings or traveling in connection with their duties in the same manner and under the same policies as the New Mexico legislative council. The director of the legislative health and human services committee and the committee's staff shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses in the same manner and amount as other state employees.
SECTION 5. [NEW MATERIAL] EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.--Payments from funds appropriated for the use of the legislative health and human services committee shall be made on vouchers signed by the director of the legislative health and human services committee or the director's designee subject to committee approval.
SECTION 6. [NEW MATERIAL] COMPLIANCE WITH REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION.--Each agency or institution of the state and its
political subdivisions shall furnish and make available to the
legislative health and human services committee or any of its
subcommittees such documents, material or information not made
confidential by law and that are requested by the committee or
any of its subcommittees upon a majority vote of the respective members of the committee or its subcommittees.
SECTION 7. REPEAL.--Sections 2-13-1 through 2-13-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 349, Sections 1 through 3, Laws 2010, Chapter 24, Section 1 and Laws 1989, Chapter 349, Sections 4 and 5) are repealed.
SECTION 8. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal year 2027 for the initial staffing for and 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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