Transcript Highlights:

• </c> business to business you're really business to business you're really taxing<00:05:14.240><c> business's
• , so there is no business-to-business taxes.
• They list them all, and business-to-business, these are selected, not all of them, but business-to-business
• They list them all, and business-to-business, these are selected, not all of them, but business-to-business
• </c> ...same business, same business day.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd ask that all our guests exit quietly so that we may begin today's order of business.
• Unanimous consent to go to our business announcements and miscellaneous.
• Just is so busy with school and family and classes and work.
• This is the next order of business. Mr.
• We are in that order of business: concurrence.

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, an invocation, pledges, and a series of announcements and guest introductions tied to several recognition days, including Disability Rights Awareness Day, Elevate the Spectrum Day, Geothermal Rising Legislative Day, DWI Awareness Day, and Adult Education and Literacy Day. Senators also welcomed guests for New Mexico Down Syndrome Day and other constituent visits, and the chamber read certificates recognizing the Hurley family and the New Mexico Military Museum, as well as adult education and literacy programs across the state. Testimony and remarks highlighted the service of the Hurley family, the importance of adult education for workforce and civic participation, and the contributions of people with disabilities and their families. The Senate adopted multiple committee reports and received House messages on several bills and resolutions. On third reading, the Senate passed Senate Bill 96, as amended, which streamlines child care licensing and reduces administrative barriers to opening or expanding child care homes and centers; an HOA-related floor amendment was adopted after discussion about local restrictions and neighborhood traffic concerns. The chamber then passed Senate Bill 14, as amended, which expands the state’s health professional loan repayment program with $25 million in funding split between physicians and allied health professionals/nurses, with questions focused on eligibility, prioritization, and whether the funding would be sufficient to address shortages. Senators also debated the bill’s support for part-time service and its role in helping New Mexico compete for medical workers. The Senate next passed Senate Bill 104 unanimously, establishing a process for removing a wildlife commissioner that requires gubernatorial initiation, notice and a hearing, and direct review by the state Supreme Court; debate centered on due process, the removal standard of incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance, and how the new process compares with prior law. Finally, the chamber took up Senate Bill 50, which would give the Law Enforcement Training Standards Council more flexibility to set training curricula for officers, especially in rural departments; sponsors said the bill preserves minimum training while allowing updates for current issues, but several senators raised concerns that the measure could weaken explicit statutory requirements for domestic violence and sexual assault training and asked how those topics would remain protected in the future curriculum.

Transcript Highlights:

• If he's here, and this guy here is giving these businesses a hard time, this guy...
• Why was the focus on the East African community business owners keeping their businesses open when those
• businesses were in fact grant recipients entrusted with a public responsibility?
• The overriding concerns seem to be grant recipients and keeping people in business.
• You have an API, you have a vendor; you put $200,000 in business, you've sold business.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to meet ratepayers and businesses because they expect more.
• Now we are going into the New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation.
• Any one business cannot exceed 10% of the fund.
• Common recipients of these loans are very small businesses.
• business.

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• On the other hand, businesses such as hotels are zoned as commercial due to the fact that they generate
• businesses using residential homes, you know, in a strictly a business model.
• There's also ag land that might have, you know, another commercial business on it.
• We use this as a business to generate income. Those are businesses.
• Now, As a business to generate income. Those are businesses. Now, I know you've heard that.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 1066 and 1088, sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown, dealing with the property tax classification of single-family short-term rental homes. Brown argued the bills would stop counties from reclassifying short-term rentals as commercial property and taxing them at the higher commercial rate, saying such homes remain residential in use under Missouri case law, IRS guidance, and zoning principles. He said the substitute language was narrowed to single-family homes owned by individuals, partnerships, or LLCs, and further limited to owners with 15 or fewer short-term rental properties. Members questioned how the bill would affect local zoning and assessor practices, including mixed-use buildings and the requirement that assessors conduct an in-person consultation before reclassifying property. Several lawmakers said the bill should preserve local control over zoning while preventing inconsistent tax treatment. Some members also raised concerns that the consultation language could interfere with assessors’ work, and Brown said he was open to revisiting that provision because it was added by another senator and was not central to the bill’s intent. Supporters testified that short-term rentals are often family homes used to generate needed income, not commercial enterprises, and that higher commercial taxation could be financially devastating. One witness described using a family home as a short-term rental to help pay for a mother’s care and support a granddaughter with special needs. Opponents, including the Missouri Hotel Lodging Association, argued that short-term rentals function as businesses because they collect sales tax and compete with lodging providers, and they said the 15-property limit was ineffective because owners can place homes in separate LLCs. The association said it could suggest alternative language to better target large-scale operators. No vote was taken, and the hearing concluded after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Small business lending and innovative projects like community land trusts.
• If that business lived at banks, it would be reinvested.
• Over 75% of those have gone to entrepreneurs of color, low-income individuals, and businesses located
• Good afternoon, on behalf of Small Business Majority, strong support.
• I've always challenged myself to understand where regulations actually help businesses or industries

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• What I heard is from the business community, a lot of smaller or medium-sized businesses is they felt
• What I heard is from the business community, a lot of smaller or medium-sized businesses is they felt
• What I heard is from the business community, a lot of smaller or medium-sized businesses is they felt
• I have talked to business after business that are filing 30, 40, 50, 60 of these different forms.
• </c> for our small businesses. for our small businesses.

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:50.479><c> would</c> business.
• First order of business would business.
• /c><00:08:18.000><c> new</c><00:08:18.240><c> bills</c> business is introduction of new bills business
• This does establish business on his own.
• </c><00:34:57.760><c> of</c> contractors engaging in the business of contractors engaging in the business

Transcript Highlights:

• But smaller businesses and medium-sized businesses that are pass-through entities, they're basically
• but do a lot of their business in other parts of the U.S. or the world.
• And just... ...and two business owners were considering leaving the state of Washington.
• Most businesses... ...need some consistency for planning. I mean, there's an expectation.
• Most businesses don't plan for the year.

Summary: Senate and House Republican leaders held a media availability in Olympia as the 2026 session entered its final full week, focusing heavily on affordability, taxes, and the state operating budget. Senators Braun and Gildon, along with House Republicans Connors and Abbarno, criticized the House and Senate budget proposals as spending billions more than forecast revenue, relying on one-time money, the rainy day fund, and what they called unrealistic assumptions. They argued the budgets would worsen a future deficit and said Democrats were prioritizing special interests over fiscal restraint. A major topic was the proposed income tax on high earners, which Republicans said would likely expand over time and drive businesses and wealthy residents out of Washington. They also discussed other tax proposals they said would hurt affordability, including changes affecting data centers, nicotine products, prescription drug warehousing, retail bags, and bottles. House Republicans said they were working with some Democrats to oppose the income tax and urged the governor to veto it if it reaches his desk. They also said the budget process has excluded Republican input and relied on closed-door negotiations. Republicans also raised several policy issues they said were stalled or killed this session, including juvenile rehabilitation reform, child endangerment and fatality reporting, tort reform, and housing and energy policy. They criticized the House for not advancing measures they said would help with child safety, juvenile justice, housing supply, and energy diversity, and they opposed a data center tax/clawback bill they said could discourage investment and jobs, especially in rural communities. In response to questions, Braun said he planned to raise the income tax, the budget, juvenile rehabilitation, child endangerment, and tort reform in an upcoming meeting with the governor. No votes were taken during the availability.

Transcript Highlights:

• and businesses and injured workers.
• business and members representing<00:02:55.599><c> labor.
• </c><00:03:13.760><c> and</c><00:03:14.319><c> businesses</c> and system for business and businesses
• and system for business and businesses and<00:03:15.040><c> injured</c><00:03:15.640><c> workers.
• That concludes our business today. much. That concludes our business today.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:42:25.559><c> Development</c> you agre Business Development you agre Business Development Corporation
• A critical part of that is, of course, making sure that our local businesses and our local small businesses
• </c> years it takes away a lot of business years it takes away a lot of business certainty<01:03:09.079
• So my business was gone.
• </c><01:17:31.960><c> were</c> were closed so my business were were closed so my business were gone<01

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Technology met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures. On SB 9, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation testified in support, and there were no questions or objections. On SB 148, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments, and a member of the public testified in support of combining boxing and MMA oversight into a single combat sports commission, with amendments to preserve safety standards and separate or distinct treatment for the two sports. Committee discussion focused on whether proposed requirements were primarily safety-related or cost-related, how to handle smaller events, and whether a one-year implementation delay was necessary; the department said many safety provisions already exist in the MMA program, that it was open to continued discussion on costs, and that it needed time to combine rules and appoint new commissioners. The chair suggested possible amendments to account for event size and to reduce burdens on smaller events. The committee then heard SB 816, which drew extensive testimony on providing legal representation for immigrants in immigration proceedings. Supporters included the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, ACU Hawaii, the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic, the Legal Clinic, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Pride at Work Hawaii, and others. Supporters argued that immigration cases can be as serious as criminal cases, that counsel is essential for due process, and that representation improves outcomes; several also emphasized the economic importance of immigrants to Hawaii. One supporter noted a suggested amendment to include training for attorneys and partners doing deportation defense and asylum work. Opposition came from a Navy veteran who argued the bill would use state resources for a federal issue, create inequities, and impose fiscal burdens. The chair noted 69 testimonies in support and 44 in opposition, and later an additional supporter brought the total to 70 in support. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided. The committee also heard SB 125, with the Department of Economic Development, the Agreed Business Development Corporation, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association in support, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii offering technical comments about complicated nested definitions in the bill. Testimony on SB 125 focused on updating the Enterprise Zone Program so local manufacturers selling directly to retail could qualify, along with value-added products and certain health-related sectors. Finally, on SB 732, the State of Hawaii Creative Industries testified with comments, raising concerns about county permit-fee waivers, implementation timing, and the bill’s lack of a carry-forward provision for the film tax credit. The witness said uncertainty in the credit was already causing productions to delay coming to Hawaii and urged stability to support the industry and local workers. The committee then moved on to additional testimony on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third order of business, message from the Senate. Clerk will read. Mr.
• Fourth order of business.
• Eighth order of business.
• Fifth order of business, committee reports.
• Fourth order of business.

Summary: The House convened, approved the previous day’s minutes, and adopted several honorary resolutions, including measures honoring Natalie Naomi Phelps, Navy personnel, Dr. Bernal Baca, the Iranian American community in Washington, and Billy Frank Jr. The chamber also received multiple messages from the Senate announcing passage of several bills, including Substitute Senate Bill 6603 and engrossed substitute Senate Bills 6, 6003, and 5998. The House handled routine procedural business by referring bills, memorials, and resolutions from the introduction sheet to the designated committees, and by moving House Bill 2711 on Transportation Resources and Senate Bill 6278 on Teacher and Principal Programs from the Rules Committee to the second reading calendar. Committee reports were also processed and referred as designated. The House additionally placed bills from the supplemental introduction sheet on the second reading calendar under suspension of the rules. No contested votes were recorded; actions were taken by unanimous consent. The House then adjourned until 9:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28th.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third order of business, message from the Senate. Clerk will read. Mr.
• Fourth order of business.
• Eighth order of business.
• Fifth order of business, committee reports.
• Fourth order of business.

Summary: The House opened by approving the previous day’s minutes and adopting several honorary resolutions, including measures honoring Natalie Naomi Phelps, Navy personnel, Dr. Bernal Baca, the Iranian American Community in Washington, and Billy Frank Jr. The chamber also received multiple messages from the Senate announcing passage of substitute or engrossed substitute bills, including Senate Bill 6603 and Senate Bill 5998, and a second engrossed substitute House bill. Members agreed to treat bills, memorials, and resolutions on the day’s introduction and supplemental introduction sheets as first reading items and refer them to the appropriate committees. The House also relieved the Rules Committee of House Bill 2711, concerning Transportation Resources, and Senate Bill 6278, concerning Teacher and Principal Programs, placing them on the second reading calendar. Committee reports were received and referred as designated. No objections were raised to the various consent actions, and the House adjourned until 9:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28th, the 48th legislative day.

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out Senate Bill 478 as a matter of pending business.
• Chair lays out Senate Bill 1450 as a matter of pending business.
• Senate Bill 1502 is a matter of pending business.
• Chair lays out Senate Bill 1566 as a matter of pending business.
• Senate Bill 1566 is a matter of pending business.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and took up a series of pending bills, with no public testimony presented. The committee first reported SB 472 favorably to the full Senate on a 5-1 vote. It then adopted committee substitutes and advanced SB 414 and SB 578, with SB 414 reported with a recommendation to do not pass but with the substitute adopted, and SB 578 reported favorably; SB 578 and several other bills were also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee similarly advanced SB 710, SB 785, SB 973, SB 1062, SB 1352, SB 1547, SB 1450, SB 1502, and SB 1566, while SB 970 was held. Most of these measures were reported out with do pass recommendations, often after adopting committee substitutes, and several were placed on the local and uncontested calendar without objection. Votes were generally unanimous or near-unanimous, with the main recorded dissent on SB 472, SB 414, SB 785, and SB 1502. At the end of the meeting, Senator Middleton was noted as voting aye on all measures, and the committee recessed until the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• First order of business: roll call.
• More than a majority being present, the House is now ready for business.
• The House will now advance to the third order of business: approval of the journal.
• The House will now advance to the fifth order of business: report of standing committees.
• Hearing none, the House Advance 16th, Florida Business. Tournament. House at 16th, business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Question 10: Should cities and counties be allowed to prohibit cannabis businesses in their community
• Minnesota's cannabis law allows businesses licensed by the state to produce, transport, deliver, and
• and can set standards in their zoning ordinances about where cannabis businesses can be located in a
• </c> businesses in their community? businesses in their community?
• licensed by the state to businesses licensed by the state to produce,<00:04:37.520><c> transport,</c

Summary: The segment presented the results of the 2025 Minnesota House legislative opinion poll, which asked fairgoers about a range of policy issues tied to recent or possible future legislative action. Topics included school calendar flexibility before Labor Day, state funding for sports stadiums and arenas, undocumented immigrants’ access to state programs, unemployment benefits for hourly school workers in the summer, banning guns in the Capitol, budget-balancing options for a projected 2028-29 deficit, removing party labels from legislative ballots, limiting free school meals by income, free fishing licenses for residents age 65 and older, local control over cannabis businesses, a post-employment lobbying ban for legislators, and a higher income tax rate for the highest earners. For several questions, the segment noted the underlying legislative context. It referenced the 2023 law making undocumented immigrants eligible for MinnesotaCare and the 2025 law ending adult eligibility at year’s end, the school meals program’s higher-than-expected costs, and a 2025 proposal to remove party designations from legislative ballots that did not receive a committee hearing. It also mentioned the projected nearly $6 billion budget shortfall for the 2028-29 biennium, the Xcel Energy Center renovation funding request, and the recent killings of House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and the shooting of Senator John Hoffman and his wife as part of the discussion about Capitol gun restrictions. The poll itself was presented as a public opinion survey rather than a legislative vote, so no formal committee action or roll call occurred. The segment closed by thanking participants and saying the poll would return next year at the fair.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not ask businesses to solve domestic violence.
• "We have brick-and-mortar businesses that are here in New York State.
• BRICK AND MORE TAR BUSINESSES, THAT EMPLOY PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK STATE.
• &gt;&gt; IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS AT THE DESK?
• &gt;&gt; THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS AT THE DESK.

Summary: The Senate opened with routine business, approved the prior journal, and received several motions to discharge identical Assembly bills from committee and substitute corresponding Senate bills. Members also offered brief recognitions for visitors, including Yemeni American community advocates and Cheri Davis, who was honored for her Alzheimer’s advocacy and support work. The chamber then took up several previously adopted resolutions, including Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, Period Poverty Awareness Week, and Nurses Week, with senators speaking in support of each measure’s purpose and importance. The body then moved through a long calendar of bills, passing a wide range of measures on education, public health, correction law, environmental conservation, municipal law, agriculture, and consumer protection. Notable floor discussion included Senator Ramos explaining her support for a bill requiring salons and similar businesses to display multilingual domestic violence resource information, and Senator Gianaris and Senator Borrello debating a bill to prohibit electronic shelf labeling in stores over concerns about surveillance, dynamic pricing, and impacts on brick-and-mortar retailers. Senator May and Senator Skoufis also spoke on an environmental conservation bill concerning American eel management, with May supporting the species protections and Skoufis objecting to the bill’s structure. Most bills were adopted by wide margins, though several drew recorded negative votes. The Senate passed the domestic violence information bill, the electronic shelf-labeling bill, and multiple other measures, including bills on eviction notice procedures, surrogate court procedure, and environmental conservation. After completing the calendar, the Senate reported no further business and adjourned until the next day at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• You just do such a good job of conducting the business here.
• issue, tax business transportation.
• And they are expanding business deductions at the federal level, and we are keeping our business deductions
• So kind of medium-sized businesses, smaller businesses in New Mexico? Yes, Mr.
• , whatever business that may be.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and agreed by unanimous consent to allow cameras on the floor and gallery, excuse several senators, and move to announcements and miscellaneous business. The chamber then adopted a ceremonial resolution honoring Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales for his years of service as Senate president and lieutenant governor, followed by extensive remarks from senators and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham praising his leadership, fairness, education advocacy, and personal kindness. Morales briefly responded, thanking members, the governor, and his family, and noting he would offer fuller remarks on his final day. After messages from the House were read, the Senate adopted several committee reports. These included favorable action on Senate Memorial 31; House Judiciary Committee substitute for House Bill 70; House Bill 124, referred to Finance; Senate Joint Resolution 6, referred to Judiciary; Senate Joint Resolution 7; House Bills 103, 154, 165, and 285 as amended; and the Finance Committee’s amended report on House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for House Bills 2 and 3. The Judiciary Committee also reported Senate Bill 104 as duly enrolled and engrossed, and the body noted that SB 104 had been signed in open session. During personal privilege, Majority Floor Leader Peter Wirth discussed a State Ethics Commission advisory opinion on whether legislators who are attorneys may vote on medical malpractice cap legislation, arguing the issue is governed by Senate rules rather than the Governmental Conduct Act. He said he would continue to disclose his interests and vote under Rule 7-5, and also rejected a newspaper suggestion that he had a conflict in sponsoring a judgeship bill for the First Judicial District Court. The Senate then moved into third reading, beginning with Senate Rules Committee substitute for Senate Bill 264, which Senator Duhigg explained as an election-security measure responding to concerns about federal interference, intimidation, and emergency election disruptions; Senator Nava then spoke in support as a co-sponsor.

Transcript Highlights:

• They came here humbly in the early 80s and started a small business.
• The Japanese Business Association is composed of nearly 420 Japanese corporations conducting business
• The Japanese Business Association is composed of nearly 420 Japanese corporations conducting business
• Okay, members, we're moving back to business on the daily file.
• Members, we are going to go back to our business on the Daily File.

Transcript Highlights:

• The tax credit will help attract and retain small R&D businesses.
• How would a corporation or a business qualify but not be able to use it?
• I think that we've been in competition many times with other businesses.
• And look, I mean, I'm a business guy, so I look, I look, I look. Stuff.
• Regulation, business is very simple. Business is like the flow of water. Business is very simple.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on the committee substitute for House Bill 27, which would modernize New Mexico’s research and development tax credit. Sponsors said the bill would allow the credit to be stacked with industrial revenue bonds for qualifying facilities, exclude data centers and national laboratories, permit up to $50 million in transferable credits per year for 2026-2028, and extend the carry-forward period to seven years. Supporters from business, construction, labor, and economic development groups argued the changes would improve cash flow for startups, help attract and retain high-wage jobs, and encourage commercialization of New Mexico-developed technology in sectors such as advanced energy, aerospace, fusion, and advanced manufacturing. Several witnesses emphasized that the bill was intended to keep commercialization and capital investment in New Mexico rather than losing them to other states. Committee members raised concerns about tax policy, fiscal impact, and whether the bill would truly lead to commercialization. Questions focused on the transferability provision, the $50 million annual cap, who could buy credits, whether data centers should be excluded, how the bill interacts with IRBs and other incentives, and whether the labs could benefit. Some members supported the bill’s goals but worried it was too narrowly tailored or could create winners and losers. The sponsors and administration witnesses responded that the bill was designed to tie R&D to physical infrastructure, provide capital to early-stage companies, and protect the general fund with caps and time limits. They also said the bill would not apply to national labs and would not change existing rural-area doubling provisions. After extensive discussion and no opposition testimony, the committee did not advance the bill. Representative Cadena moved to table the committee substitute for House Bill 27, Representative Parra made the second, and the motion passed without opposition, so the bill was tabled.