2020 Legislative Session

The clean energy bills that cleared the legislature

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The 2020 Legislative session finished promptly at noon on Thursday after a week of long nights in debate that resulted in the passage of the number of clean energy bills backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. However, not every priority passed the legislature this year. Here’s a look at the clean energy bills that made it to the governor’s desk this year, and the ones that didn’t. Solar tax credit: Senate Majority Whip Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, often joked about how many times she sponsored a bill to reinstate the solar tax credit since the credit expired in 2016. “I hate to count how many times the committee’s actually heard [this bill],” Stewart joked with a House committee during the session.

2020 Legislative Session

Senate sends EV tax credit back to House

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The Senate passed a second bill that would create a tax credit for electric vehicles late Wednesday evening, after passing a similar Senate bill one day earlier. On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB 2, sponsored by Pat Woods, R-Broadview, and Bill Tallman, D-Albuquerque, by a narrow vote of 19-18. The Senate then passed HB 217, sponsored by Mesilla Democratic Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena and Santa Fe Democratic Rep. Jim Trujillo, by a vote of 23-13, late Wednesday night. RELATED: Senate version of electric vehicle tax credit passes floor by one vote

“This bill is almost a mirror bill to SB 2,” Woods said. “The only difference between this bill and the electric vehicle income tax credit bill that I passed earlier was that this bill requires you to be a resident of the state of New Mexico before you receive a tax credit.”

“This bill was amended in Senate Finance [Committee] to mirror my bill,” Woods added.

2020 Legislative Session

Solar tax credit heads to Guv’s desk

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A bill to reinstate a solar tax credit is headed to the governor’s desk. The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, passed the House floor Wednesday by a vote of 51-19. SB 29 would create a personal income tax credit to cover 10 percent of the costs of a solar thermal or solar photovoltaic system for residential, business or agriculture applications. Democratic Rep. Matthew McQueen of Galisteo is the House sponsor of the bill. 

New Mexico initiated a similar tax credit in the last decade, which expired in 2016. The Legislature passed a bill to reinstate the credit that same year, but it was pocket-vetoed by then-Gov. Susana Martinez.

2020 Legislative Session

PRC reform bill dies in Senate committee

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A proposal to restructure the Public Regulation Commission died in the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee after a two-plus hour debate. The bill was tabled by a vote of 5-4. Democratic Reps. Nathan Small of Las Cruces and Linda Trujillo of Santa Fe presented HB 11 to the committee Tuesday afternoon. Small and Trujillo told the committee the bill would help address staffing issues at the PRC and make the commission more efficient.

2020 Legislative Session

Senate version of electric vehicle tax credit passes floor by one vote

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A Senate proposal to create an electric vehicle tax credit passed the Senate floor Tuesday by just one vote. SB 2, sponsored by Sens. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, and Bill Tallman, D-Albuquerque, would create personal income tax credits for New Mexico residents who purchase or lease plug-in hybrid vehicles or 100 percent battery electric vehicles. The bill provides a $2,500 tax credit for residents whose annual income is above $50,000; but the tax credit jumps to $5,000 for residents who make less than $50,000. “We’re talking really about taxing the poor,” said Albuquerque Republican Sen. Mark Moores during the debate.

transmission line IRB

Transmission line expansion bill passes Senate without opposition

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A bill aimed at expanding powerline infrastructure in the state easily passed the Senate floor unanimously on Tuesday after a short debate. HB 50 would make transmission line projects eligible for Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) issued by counties and municipalities. Republican Sen. Steven Neville of Farmington presented the bill on the floor Tuesday. “This is an amendment to the Industrial Revenue Bond procedure and acts that we have in our statute that allows private powerlines, primarily related to renewable energy projects, to allow them to participate in the IRB process,” Neville said. “It’s not for PNM or any of the public utilities.

2020 Legislative Session

PRC reform bill heads to the Senate after narrow passage in House

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A proposal to make structural changes to the Public Regulation Commission passed the House floor with a narrow vote of 36-34 after a three-hour debate Sunday evening. HB 11 is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Nathan Small of Las Cruces and Linda Trujillo of Santa Fe. It would restructure the PRC with the aim of streamlining operations and making the commission more efficient. RELATED: PRC reform bill advances with big concerns

The bill “strengthens and simplifies the Public Regulation Commission,” Small said, adding that the bill “appropriately separates the decision making function from the advocacy function.” Small said he met with former and current PRC staff, including commissioners; and considered other other utility commissions from other states in drafting the legislation.

2020 Legislative Session

House passes renewable energy investment plan proposal

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The state House passed a memorial that would direct the State Investment Council (SIC) to explore investment opportunities in renewable energy, transmission and storage. HM 9 directs the SIC and the State Land Office to collaborate together on developing a strategic plan for investing in renewables and related projects within the state. “The goal of this memorial is to invest more renewables in our state,” said Democratic Rep. and bill sponsor Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde. “Our state has the second highest solar density in the country, second to the Mojave Desert in California. The renewable industry is booming in other states, this is a great opportunity to move forward in this area.”

Democratic Reps.

2020 Legislative Session

Solar tax credit, transmission line bills advance in the Senate

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Two clean energy bills cleared the Senate Finance committee on Friday: A bill that would expand power line infrastructure throughout the state, and a bill that would reinstate a solar tax credit that expired in 2016. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has voiced support for both bills. There were two versions of the transmission line proposal, one in the House and one in the Senate. But Republican Sen. Steven Neville presented HB 50 to the committee instead of his own version of the proposal, SB 6, on Friday. “This one’s farther along,” Neville told committee members.

2020 Legislative Session

House EV tax credit heads to the Senate

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A proposal to create an electric vehicle tax credit passed the House floor late Friday with a vote of 40-27. Legislators introduced two different versions of the proposal, one in the House and one in the Senate, but the House version has advanced further than the Senate version of the bill, which is not expected to move out of the Senate Finance Committee before the session ends next week. RELATED: House version of electric vehicle tax credit advances

Bill sponsor and Mesilla Democratic Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena introduced a substitute bill on the floor, which she said offered a compromise with the Senate’s version. HB 217 would establish a $2,500 tax credit for residents whose annual income is above $50,000; but the tax credit jumps to $5,000 for residents who make less than $50,000. The bill would also establish a $300 income tax credit for the acquisition of a residential electric vehicle charging unit.