Understanding the New Mexico Legislative Session

How the New Mexico Legislature Works

New Mexico’s Legislature consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both work together to write, review, and pass laws that impact our state. Here’s a brief overview of each chamber’s role:

The New Mexico House of Representatives

• 70 members, elected every two years
• The House is where most bills originate and plays a key role in debating, amending, and voting on proposed laws.
• The house is also responsible for amending, rejecting, or approving bills that originate in, and have passed, the Senate chamber.

The New Mexico Senate

• 42 members, elected every four years
• Many bills also originate in the Senate where they debate, amend and vote on proposed laws.
• After a bill passes the House, it moves to the Senate for consideration, where senators can amend, reject, or approve it.

Both chambers collaborate to ensure a balanced approach to governing. The Governor also plays a vital role, reviewing legislation and either signing it into law or vetoing it.

How Bills Become Laws

Here is the journey a bill takes throughout the legislative session:

1. Introduction of a Bill – A legislator introduces a bill, which can originate from either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review – The bill is assigned to relevant committees, where it is reviewed, debated, and amended.
3. Debate and Vote – If the bill passes committee, it moves to the full chamber for debate and a vote.
4. Second Chamber – After passing one chamber, the bill moves to the other chamber for a similar review and debate process.
5. Governor’s Action – Once both chambers agree on the final version of a bill, it is sent to the Governor, who can either sign it into law or veto it.

This process may seem straightforward but actually much of the work happens in the committees, where legislators do a deep dive into the details of proposed laws. This is also where public comments and expert testimony can have a significant impact on influencing legislation.

What’s Next?

As the 2025 Legislative session kicks off on January 21st, NM FAM will keep you informed about this year’s priorities, proposed bills, and ways you can stay engaged. We’ll send out a legislative preview soon that highlights key issues and bills to watch during the session.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming updates, and get ready to take action as the legislative session approaches.

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