Rod Montoya — Called during roll call and responded present.
Rod Montoya — Representative Montoya asked a series of related questions about the bill and its funding: whether the money is already included in House Bill 2, whether the funds must be spent by 2029, why a state match is needed, and whether the amount requested is adequate to support the program and its priority needs.
Rod Montoya — Representative Montoya said he likes about one-third of the bill and that it will determine his vote. He then asked what percentage of the state is already federal or state land, and the response estimated that the figure is in the mid-50s.
Rod Montoya — A continuous exchange centered on Representative Montoya’s concerns about the bill’s financial impact. The speaker responds that the bill does not ask for a rate increase, argues that reducing greenhouse gas emissions creates cost savings for utilities and others, and continues addressing Montoya’s request and related cost-recovery concerns before concluding with a no vote on the motion.
Rod Montoya — Representative Montoya is referenced as having questions, and then is directly addressed and thanked in the ongoing exchange, indicating a brief continuous interaction involving him.
Rod Montoya — His comments are referenced as the basis for the follow-up question.
Rod Montoya — Recorded as voting no.
Matthew McQueen — Called during roll call and responded present as Chair.
Matthew McQueen — Chairman McQueen is briefly addressed and thanked during the exchange, with no substantive topic change between the two mentions.
Matthew McQueen — Announced the committee vote result and that the bill received a due pass.
Matthew McQueen — Chairman McQueen is addressed as the chair of the committee.
Matthew McQueen — Vice Chair McQueen cast a yes vote, and the chair then announced the result of the vote as 8 to 2, indicating the committee had a due pass recommendation.
HB246 — House Bill 246 was introduced as the first bill of the day and described as a measure to provide state matching funds for local governments approved for federal assistance to acquire and rehabilitate floodplain properties. It was further characterized as a three-part flood mitigation and buyout-related bill aimed at reducing future disaster costs and improving safety. The chair then opened public testimony, asking for support and opposition, and multiple supporters testified in favor, emphasizing long-term savings, disaster reduction, and backing from stakeholders including a representative connected to Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino. The chair continued to solicit additional online support or opposition testimony.
HB246 — Referenced as a related bill with $92 million.
Kerry Robin Brunder — Identified as an expert witness.
Jason Burns — Jason Burns is identified as the Lincoln County Manager and noted as a witness, with the mention repeated shortly afterward without any change in topic.
Mark Fisher — Commissioner and Chair of Lincoln County testified in support, describing flood damage and the need to remove infrastructure from the river.
Ali Ryan — State Director for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management testified in strong support of the funding.
Scott Scanlon — Registered lobbyist for Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino testified in support of the legislation.
Martin Zamora — Representative Vincent responds to questions about the property acquisition program, explaining that properties will be appraised based on their pre-flood condition rather than post-damage value. He reiterates that the program is voluntary and intended to make participating owners whole, with the discussion continuing around whether full pre-flood value should be paid.
HB2 — House Bill 2 is repeatedly cited as the appropriation source for the project’s funding. The discussion emphasizes that the money is in House Bill 2 and notes that the federal allotment has already arrived, meaning the funds can be expended by 2029.
William Hall — Representative Vincent discusses the need for rehabilitation and reforestation after changes to the landscape and soil, emphasizing restoring the area so people can fish, ride bikes, and keep the town alive. The discussion then shifts to appreciation for Vincent’s passion and commitment to the community, and later references Vincent again in connection with HB 271 as the sponsor or prior presenter being followed.
Nathan Small — Was addressed in a lighthearted remark about getting ready for the game tonight.
Nathan Small — Introduced HB 271 and explained that it enables the program just heard about.
Nathan Small — Thanked as the sponsor of the bill.
Nathan Small — Recognized as an avid hunter himself and thanked by the witness.
Nathan Small — Addressed as the sponsor during questions.
Nathan Small — Responded to Representative Montoya's question by asking about the percentage of the state already in federal or state lands.
Nathan Small — Thanked as the sponsor and asked to explain how the measures work together.
Nathan Small — Representative Small is discussed during the bill exchange, first as someone the speaker has already talked with and then as someone asked whether he has anything to add before a motion. He then votes yes, and later Nathan Small speaks briefly as the bill sponsor/presenter, offering a partial response in support of a portion of the bill before the transcript trails off.
Nathan Small — Votes yes on the motion.
Nathan Small — Voted yes on the motion.
HB271 — Introduced as the second bill of the day, titled Office of Natural Resources Trustee Funding.
HB271 — Referenced as the legislation he strongly supports.
HB271 — Described as supporting resident hunting opportunity and the outdoor economy.
HB271 — The witness reiterated support for the legislation.
HB271 — The member expressed partial support but objected to the lack of guardrails on public land creation or expansion.
HB271 — Criticized as open-ended, with $70 million for creation and expansion of public lands and no prioritization guidance.
HB271 — Rejected by the speaker due to lack of explanation and detail in the one-page bill.
HB271 — Referenced as a related bill with $100 million.
HB271 — A motion is made on House Bill 271.
Mr. Jesse Dubow — Named as being present from the Wildlife Federation as an expert.
Arturo Castillo — Director of Equity and Culture with Conservation Voters New Mexico; testified in support of HB 271 and described its funding purpose.
HB271 — HB 271 is described as a bill that would provide $100 million to expand affordable access to public lands and support local communities recovering from natural disasters. The discussion later reiterates that the bill includes a critical public lands component alongside its disaster recovery provisions.
Dan Roper — Identified himself with Trout Unlimited and began testimony in support of HB 271.
Debbie Hughes — Executive Director with the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts; testified in support of the bill and described district involvement in emergency watershed protection money.
Garrett — Named as the first online speaker to testify.
Garrett Benaclosson — Testified for New Mexico Wild and described personal experience with evacuations during the Hermits Peak Fire.
Jeremy Vesbach — Testified in support of House Bill 271 and said he is from Placitas and serves on the board of the National Wildlife Federation.
Harlan Vincent — Representative Vincent is referenced in the context of the broader funding and recovery discussion, with their district noted as affected by the flow of funding or impacts. The discussion also highlights that Representative Vincent shared a strong vision consistent with the broader points raised just before.