Representing You at the State's Legislative Session
By Vince Martinez, Interim-CEO
High noon on the third Tuesday of every new year marks the beginning of the New Mexico Legislature. The state’s legislative session can significantly impact our electric cooperatives.
Since 2025 is an odd-numbered year, this year’s session lasts 60 days. In even-numbered years, sessions are limited to 30 days.
In a 60-day session, proposed legislation can be introduced on all matters and issues. During a 30-day session, only matters of fiscal impact can be introduced by legislators, but the governor can put other non-fiscal matters on the call in the proclamation for the 30-day session.
On Jan. 21 at noon, the 57th New Mexico Legislature convened. The New Mexico House of Representatives has 70 members. Currently, Democrats hold 44 seats and Republicans 26 seats. In the New Mexico Senate, there are 42 state senators—26 Democrats and 16 Republicans. There are 12 new House members and 14 new Senate members.
New legislation could be pre-filed from Jan. 2 to Jan. 17. Once the session began, pre-filed legislation was officially introduced, and new legislation can still be filed until the halfway point of the session.
This year, many bills will be filed that could impact electric cooperatives. Bills that address climate change, electric rates, wildfire liability, tax credits for electric vehicles and economic development initiatives are just a few.
Whatever the legislation is, rest assured that your statewide association and our members will work hard to protect the interests of your rural electric cooperative.
I invite you to come to Santa Fe during the session to meet your senators and representatives and see what the Legislature is doing.
Of course, you are always welcome to visit your Rural Electric Cooperative Association office at 614 Don Gaspar Ave. in Santa Fe, and visit with the staff. It is just one block south of the State Capitol.