[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6291461,"mediaKeyId","2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d","parentId",2530036,"title","Reclaimed Water Act draws heavy public debate over oversight, produced-water use","audioSeconds",1439,"startMs",5489000,"endMs",6928000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d&start=5489&end=6928","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d/thumbnail_5489000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6291461/New-Mexico/Reclaimed-Water-Act-draws-heavy-public-debate-over-oversight-produced-water-use","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291461-a1206f24f26aa7d5f42cecb8d5852991/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050707&Signature=KGp5OSUcsjPwYxoLm-xc2xDmZ~w8FawZKZoaPtFjBXQsPD~kFq2SKpG6AP5o92m~IKtIE-xixgzrlqtcRaCYx91dLxwQarQSTTNflo0ZlyXbxZ6YdNUmwaJTRwK0aZ8AIKVEinWGwI6B0DZ4HbmoldXYK-8u~7jPvbJUuHfVgneEYOKHvYivXK7Ivo5~dOs85TIeyGt7iqXh5vZsW1HcGeOg7RZTvOgaEX4pDwJlJChOdjpxCWVkIHTLXjoEjoYmiW53OOscshJDL9CGTuFV4SW5~8B18k3tkLy1~SBAVWc3UbGNyVjMJxxJAkRnsSAD62XK8x4gcroiuXDeTAw0zA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-03-08T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Jeremy Small introduced a committee substitute for House Bill 311 that would authorize creation of local reclaimed-water authorities and enable public-private investment in nontraditional water sources for economic development.

Sponsor and supporters said the measure would expand tools for municipalities to use brackish or treated nonpotable sources — for example, to serve industrial cooling, clean up contaminated sites or support projects that cannot rely on limited freshwater supplies. Jennifer Bradfield and representatives of Borderplex, San Teresa companies and economic-development groups described potential jobs and investment that reclaimed water could support.

Opponents, including the Western Environmental Law Center, Rivers Run Through Us and other environmental and advocacy groups, urged a do-not-pass position or major revisions. They argued the measure as drafted could permit use of produced water (oil-and-gas wastewater) without sufficient water-quality standards, increasing risk to human health and the environment. Witnesses also said the bill creates a new hybrid public-private legal entity and does not yet contain clear guardrails on membership, conflicts of interest, tax status or liability.

Key technical points raised in committee:
- Committee sub 0.3 narrowed the bill’s scope and added requirements that reclaimed water be subject to standards set by the Water Quality Control Commission and oversight by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). The bill also added explicit grounds for NMED to deny or, after approval, revoke authority permits for failing to meet standards.
- Opponents said New Mexico lacks water-quality standards sufficient to evaluate many constituents found in oilfield produced water and that the bill’s definitions are broad enough to include produced water if WQCC standards are later adopted.
- Supporters said the authority would be voluntary, limited to nonpotable uses, and modeled on existing economic-development corporation statutes to allow local investment and private capital for treatment and reuse projects.

No final committee vote on HB 311 was recorded in the transcript; members asked for additional technical clarifications about governance, tax status, liability and the interplay with existing statutes and the Public Regulation Commission.

Ending: Committee members of all parties praised the sponsor’s willingness to modify the bill and asked for more detailed guardrails tying authorities’ powers to public oversight, clearer membership and voting rules, and explicit limits on the types of reclaimed sources allowed until WQCC standards are in place.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House - Judiciary Mar 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Jeremy Small introduced a committee substitute for House Bill 311 that would authorize local reclaimed-water authorities to coordinate public-private investment in nontraditional water sources for economic development.","taxTitle","House of Representatives, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",78418,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6291465,"House committee advances substitute to address mobile-home park rent spikes, creates working group",2022,2638000,4660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d&start=2638&end=4660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d/thumbnail_2638000.jpg","/articles/6291465/New-Mexico/House-committee-advances-substitute-to-address-mobile-home-park-rent-spikes-creates-working-group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291465-998bf643a696035ed375b51df1c662ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050707&Signature=Sbhl9AHR6au2ybZwjUKx58z28~wa2NR14amJxeMaKWApm6PETOw2HST-IzEXMRnQFcWp-qI~5QowF9fKjOif7rSj8VQlg3aIuqaSGC~FvF~AEaZgXcKu3FWapTCaCuT90h3isPuu34Lxc7qUTC-Een0PhJ1F~JPT2l3YKRMSH2WOFgUtDN7xRVuyeE1gI2Y7TDTUFwLPQsR4tTF000IZnSvOG546sKTKlar8rFLTNlCKxd7ugMTbWtMAFHefoaCDp2Z65skrCADCmUp~TFQDrf9xA0j6teTyaoz32R1HXCC0Iv2F9naMb4HbzjFX4fGpBzyWsKwhfySS0h6qoXb8Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Cynthia Matthews told the House Judiciary Committee that frequent rent increases and failing park infrastructure were creating a housing crisis for many New Mexico residents who own manufactured homes but lease the land beneath them.

The substitute for House Bill 442 creates a working group to study mobile-home park operations, requires an initial report by Dec. 1, 2025, and a second report by Sept. 1, 2026, and includes a temporary constraint on the frequency of rent increases while the working group studies long-term solutions.

Why it matters: Approximately 32,000 New Mexicans live in mobile-home parks, many on fixed incomes. Witnesses described long utility outages and expensive repairs, and residents said sudden rent hikes have forced families to borrow money or move.

The bill calls for a stakeholder working group to develop recommendations for balancing tenant protections and park-owner responsibilities. The sponsor said the measure is intended to buy time while the panel designs permanent solutions.

During public comment, tenants and community organizers described repeated rent increases, outages of water and gas for weeks or months, and health and financial harms. Rochelle Smith, chair of the Meadows Action Team at Albuquerque Meadows, described residents who face rent increases that leave long-time seniors paying a disproportionate share of their income for lot rent and sometimes cutting essential spending to keep housing.

Park owners and industry groups said that the substitute’s private-remedy provisions and some rent limits could harm owners’ ability to finance urgent infrastructure work. Doug Ottersberg, who operates communities in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, said major gas- or water-system repairs can take months to finance and complete and that penalties tied to missed deadlines could reduce owners’ ability to respond.

The committee adopted a hybrid outcome: a do-not-pass on the original House Bill 442 and a pass on the House Judiciary Committee substitute (0.4). Lawmakers said they want the working group to finish its study before deciding permanent rules.

Ending note: The substitute establishes timelines and a two-year interim period for rent constraints while the working group meets. Committee members said they expect further negotiations with tenants, park owners, and state regulators before the Legislature considers a final bill.

","Representative Cynthia Matthews told the House Judiciary Committee that frequent rent increases and failing park infrastructure were creating a housing crisis for many New Mexico residents who own manufactured homes but lease the land beneath them.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6291450,"Votes at a glance: bills advanced or recommended by House Judiciary Committee",3823,662000,4485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d&start=662&end=4485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d/thumbnail_662000.jpg","/articles/6291450/New-Mexico/Votes-at-a-glance-bills-advanced-or-recommended-by-House-Judiciary-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291450-ab06b4b2e8ff5f935c1d8a137d37c804/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050707&Signature=Uydklxour-RUDm~Ed49Hqi6hQ7sZmA29YXf-sjrKqMvNZgqSLTlnczI716qOlBa22FNbB9SOee-jFiDWj1-ELcxl5SKSQz2Q1mdjzwSsu8PdouypnmIAMXynjFHMNVjBOMV0tPl-fqgty5klu-1lg8moz39V~eEMZkTyDLynfqKSSyuRFc3CazOIDTf~NqCs63VyHhfcUyV8UxUk1YmJHWJ5~Db17Ro3Rc5VlqFs5Eg0--YAl22fVkGK-H29EzcInmvvgh5h1~jKHJUJY3I7nMlW1FrlgZ13ev0tVaWFnN0uU1jkagzhPwvlS9SMZYSUpx4k4x8NeI~aorv8t3WoAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Judiciary Committee recorded final actions — including committee substitutes and due-pass recommendations — on several bills during the hearing. Below is a concise listing of each bill, the committee’s action and key contextual notes. Where the roll-call names or precise tallies were not fully specified in the transcript, that is noted as “not specified.”

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 244 (magistrate judges age): Committee gave a due pass recommendation. The bill raises the minimum age for magistrate judges to 28 and applies to elected or appointed magistrates. Supporters included Judge Jimmy Foster and Chief Justice Michael Vigil. (Roll-call tallies not specified in transcript.)

- House Bill 269 (open electronic visit verification): Committee gave a due pass recommendation. Sponsor said the bill would transition to an open EVV model using data aggregators to reduce administrative burdens on home-health providers. Supporters included Basin Health CEO Vince Moffitt and disability advocates. (Roll-call tallies not specified.)

- House Bill 366 (add veterinarians as health-care practitioners): Committee gave a due pass recommendation. The bill would list veterinarians among health-care practitioners, potentially making them eligible for categorically similar exemptions or programs. Sponsor argued it would help recruit and retain veterinarians; committee moved it forward. (Roll-call tallies not specified.)

- House Bill 469 (board-authority changes, twice amended): Committee advanced a twice-amended bill that adjusts board membership rules and increases the number of authority board members; the substitute removed a party-balance cap and added up to three at-large local-government seats at stakeholders’ request. The committee announced a due pass on the twice-amended bill. (Roll-call tallies not specified.)

- House Bill 428 (Corrections rulemaking): Committee adopted an amendment (shorten public comment period; add enumerated security exemptions) and advanced HB 428 as amended. (See separate article for details.)

Notes on procedure and missing details: Several roll-call tallies in the transcript were read aloud incompletely. Where the transcript did not list full roll-call vote records, this summary marks tallies as not specified. Committee members frequently moved due-pass recommendations after short public comment periods or adoption of committee amendments.

Ending: Committee members used substitutes and amendments to narrow or clarify bills before advancing them to the next legislative stage; several items will require additional technical work or negotiation before floor consideration.

","The House Judiciary Committee recorded multiple final actions on bills during the hearing, including passage of committee substitutes or due-pass recommendations for several bills. The committee advanced measures on magistrate-judge age, electronic visit verification, health-practitioner category expansion, and others; it also took the substitute ",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6291455,"Committee approves amendment to require public comment on Corrections rulemaking and preserves specified security exemptions",596,44000,640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d&start=44&end=640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530036-1dde425008e3eb220d0ccaf2c021281d/thumbnail_44000.jpg","/articles/6291455/New-Mexico/Committee-approves-amendment-to-require-public-comment-on-Corrections-rulemaking-and-preserves-specified-security-exemptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291455-512b6d4b961a2f7de3935a8596a78b8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050707&Signature=F2QwQ4JZIGnf4IIJhH62TnPYM9xCUA3GLrGp4pXMPVNpM8SwtpMHA21nHf9PwnkraApzyZ4X~FV~wQIw8dHN6JK5vdygCE8bST82IsQgrHski497lMni9i5p9pP9DanCW4~frtjsiKd5ZAR5S-Y3P9qxoZ-C4-f-~RB2m1MQHut-vO3Hv1FXhSXK3wflk-QMHxWAVK7VuuyqvSCRwaG5WKMJ5VC58I074XrtxkVJ-2ZRgOJ1vFZqRt~erQtgszT1o2OY16WgLRmEq0RKtJviOVTh07btvYCFfF0HUGfqMixSsL-ixIR0ZgTxCMfRrf-j-mjeJ-NhSYfI18jkgsnQcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Vice Chair Cadena presented House Bill 428, which would remove language that exempted the New Mexico Corrections Department from the State Rules Act and Administrative Procedures Act and would require rulemaking to include public comment and posting in correctional facilities.

The corrections secretary, Alicia Tafoya Lucero, testified in opposition in the bill’s current form and said the department wanted explicit additional exemptions for emergency response and institutional security. AFSCME and other supporters said they would continue to work with the department on narrow security exemptions. Representative Cadena and union representatives negotiated an amendment that shortened the public comment period from 45 to 30 days and listed specific categories that could remain exempt for institutional security.

The committee adopted the amendment by voice and then moved the bill forward as amended. Representative Romero moved a due-pass on HB 428 as amended; the motion was seconded and the committee announced a due pass on the amended bill.

Why it matters: The change subjects the Corrections Department’s rulemaking to the same public-notice and comment requirements as many other state agencies while preserving narrowly tailored security exemptions the department sought.

Ending: Committee members said they expect continued work between the department, sponsor and labor representatives to refine exemptions and the final statutory language before the bill reaches the full House.

","The committee amended and then passed House Bill 428 to remove a statutory exemption that had allowed the Corrections Department to avoid the state rules and Administrative Procedures Acts, while retaining limited exemptions for institutional security and emergency response. The amendment shortened the public-comment period from 45 to 30 days at ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Reclaimed Water Act draws heavy public debate over oversight, produced-water use

House committee advances substitute to address mobile-home park rent spikes, creates working group

Votes at a glance: bills advanced or recommended by House Judiciary Committee

Committee approves amendment to require public comment on Corrections rulemaking and preserves specified security exemptions