New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico House Bill HB146 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	underscored material = new
2	2	[bracketed material] = delete
3	3	1
4	4	2
5	5	3
6	6	4
7	7	5
8	8	6
9	9	7
10	10	8
11	11	9
12	12	10
13	13	11
14	14	12
15	15	13
16	16	14
17	17	15
18	18	16
19	19	17
20	20	18
21	21	19
22	22	20
23	23	21
24	24	22
25	25	23
26	26	24
27	27	25
28	28	HOUSE BILL 146
29	29	57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025
30	30	INTRODUCED BY
31	31	Dayan Hochman-Vigil
32	32	AN ACT
33	33	RELATING TO RAILROADS; ENACTING THE RAILWAY SAFETY ACT;
34	34	MANDATING THE USE OF WAYSIDE DETECTOR SYSTEMS; REQUIRING THE
35	35	REPORTING OF RAILWAY SAFETY VIOLATIONS AND PROHIBITING
36	36	RETALIATORY ACTION; PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES FOR
37	37	RAILWAY SAFETY VIOLATIONS.
38	38	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
39	39	SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be
40	40	cited as the "Railway Safety Act".
41	41	SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
42	42	Railway Safety Act:
43	43	A. "crew member" means a person employed by or
44	44	contracted with a railroad corporation to assist with the
45	45	operation of a railroad or train;
46	46	B. "department" means the department of
47	47	.228644.3 underscored material = new
48	48	[bracketed material] = delete
49	49	1
50	50	2
51	51	3
52	52	4
53	53	5
54	54	6
55	55	7
56	56	8
57	57	9
58	58	10
59	59	11
60	60	12
61	61	13
62	62	14
63	63	15
64	64	16
65	65	17
66	66	18
67	67	19
68	68	20
69	69	21
70	70	22
71	71	23
72	72	24
73	73	25
74	74	transportation;
75	75	C. "dragging equipment detector" means an
76	76	electronic device or other technology that monitors a passing
77	77	train to detect and alert operators of the train of the
78	78	existence of an object dragging from the train;
79	79	D. "hot bearings detector" means an infrared
80	80	detector located along railroad tracks that monitors a passing
81	81	train to detect and alert operators of the train to any
82	82	overheating of a train's bearings, axles or wheels;
83	83	E. "railroad corporation" means a corporation
84	84	incorporated under Chapter 63 NMSA 1978 or a corporation
85	85	incorporated under the laws of any other state that owns or
86	86	operates a railroad or train in the state of New Mexico;
87	87	F. "railway safety violation" means a violation of
88	88	a provision of Section 3 of the Railway Safety Act;
89	89	G. "roadway" means every way, place, highway or
90	90	street that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for
91	91	vehicular traffic and generally open to public use as a matter
92	92	of right for the purpose of vehicular travel; and
93	93	H. "wayside detector system" means an electronic
94	94	device or a series of connected devices that monitor a passing
95	95	train to determine whether the train has a defect and includes
96	96	a hot bearings detector and a dragging equipment detector.
97	97	SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] WAYSIDE DETECTOR SYSTEMS--
98	98	DEFECT MESSAGE--SAFETY PROCEDURES--REPORT.--
99	99	.228644.3
100	100	- 2 - underscored material = new
101	101	[bracketed material] = delete
102	102	1
103	103	2
104	104	3
105	105	4
106	106	5
107	107	6
108	108	7
109	109	8
110	110	9
111	111	10
112	112	11
113	113	12
114	114	13
115	115	14
116	116	15
117	117	16
118	118	17
119	119	18
120	120	19
121	121	20
122	122	21
123	123	22
124	124	23
125	125	24
126	126	25
127	127	A. A railroad corporation operating a train on a
128	128	line of railroad in the state shall install and maintain a
129	129	wayside detector system with a hot bearings detector and a
130	130	dragging equipment detector installed at least every ten miles.
131	131	B. If a train receives a defect message from a
132	132	wayside detector system, the railroad corporation operating the
133	133	train shall:
134	134	(1) stop the train as soon as is practicable
135	135	without obstructing a roadway and in accordance with applicable
136	136	safety procedures;
137	137	(2) inspect the defect from a position on the
138	138	ground;
139	139	(3) remedy the defect immediately if
140	140	practicable or if the train is not safe for movement;
141	141	(4) if the inspection indicates that the
142	142	defect cannot be immediately remedied and the train is safe for
143	143	movement, proceed along the train's route at a speed not
144	144	greater than:
145	145	(a) ten miles per hour if the train is
146	146	carrying a hazardous material or dangerous good; or
147	147	(b) thirty miles per hour if the train
148	148	is not carrying a hazardous material or dangerous good;
149	149	(5) remove and set out any defective car at
150	150	the earliest opportunity;
151	151	(6) resume authorized speed only after the
152	152	.228644.3
153	153	- 3 - underscored material = new
154	154	[bracketed material] = delete
155	155	1
156	156	2
157	157	3
158	158	4
159	159	5
160	160	6
161	161	7
162	162	8
163	163	9
164	164	10
165	165	11
166	166	12
167	167	13
168	168	14
169	169	15
170	170	16
171	171	17
172	172	18
173	173	19
174	174	20
175	175	21
176	176	22
177	177	23
178	178	24
179	179	25
180	180	defect has been remedied and the next wayside detector
181	181	indicates that there is no longer a defect; and
182	182	(7) prepare and submit a written inspection
183	183	report to the appropriate railroad corporation official.
184	184	C. By January 1, 2027, and by January 1 of each
185	185	year thereafter, a railroad corporation operating a train on a
186	186	line of railroad in the state shall submit to the department a
187	187	report that discloses at minimum the following:
188	188	(1) the location of each installed wayside
189	189	detector system;
190	190	(2) the type and characteristic of each
191	191	installed wayside detector system;
192	192	(3) the operational status of the wayside
193	193	detector system and all installed hot bearings detectors and
194	194	dragging equipment detectors; and
195	195	(4) the details of all defect messages
196	196	received from a wayside detector system and the corresponding
197	197	inspection report prepared for each defect message.
198	198	SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] RAILWAY SAFETY VIOLATIONS--
199	199	REPORTING--RETALIATION.--
200	200	A. A crew member of a railroad corporation shall
201	201	report to the department if the crew member observes a railway
202	202	safety violation.
203	203	B. The department shall create a uniform protocol
204	204	for reporting railway safety violations and shall allow for
205	205	.228644.3
206	206	- 4 - underscored material = new
207	207	[bracketed material] = delete
208	208	1
209	209	2
210	210	3
211	211	4
212	212	5
213	213	6
214	214	7
215	215	8
216	216	9
217	217	10
218	218	11
219	219	12
220	220	13
221	221	14
222	222	15
223	223	16
224	224	17
225	225	18
226	226	19
227	227	20
228	228	21
229	229	22
230	230	23
231	231	24
232	232	25
233	233	anonymous reporting.
234	234	C. A railroad corporation and its agents shall not
235	235	take, encourage or provoke direct or indirect retaliatory
236	236	action against a crew member because the crew member:
237	237	(1) reports a railway safety violation;
238	238	(2) provides information to, or testifies
239	239	before, a public body as part of an investigation, hearing or
240	240	inquiry into a railway safety violation; or
241	241	(3) objects to or refuses to participate in an
242	242	activity, policy or practice that constitutes a railway safety
243	243	violation.
244	244	D. The department shall promulgate rules to
245	245	implement the provisions of this section and establish
246	246	procedures for reporting and investigating alleged retaliation.
247	247	SECTION 5. [NEW MATERIAL] RAILWAY SAFETY VIOLATIONS--
248	248	INVESTIGATION--ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY--APPEAL.--
249	249	A. The department, after receiving a report
250	250	alleging a railway safety violation, is authorized to enter
251	251	a railroad corporation's lands to investigate the alleged
252	252	violation. Prior to entering, the department shall give due
253	253	notice to the railroad corporation. A railroad corporation
254	254	shall not prohibit entry to the department after receiving due
255	255	notice.
256	256	B. If the department finds that a railroad
257	257	corporation or an officer, agent or employee of a railroad
258	258	.228644.3
259	259	- 5 - underscored material = new
260	260	[bracketed material] = delete
261	261	1
262	262	2
263	263	3
264	264	4
265	265	5
266	266	6
267	267	7
268	268	8
269	269	9
270	270	10
271	271	11
272	272	12
273	273	13
274	274	14
275	275	15
276	276	16
277	277	17
278	278	18
279	279	19
280	280	20
281	281	21
282	282	22
283	283	23
284	284	24
285	285	25
286	286	corporation commits a railway safety violation, the department
287	287	may assess a fine of not less than five thousand dollars
288	288	($5,000) but not more than twenty-five thousand dollars
289	289	($25,000) on the railroad corporation.
290	290	C. In addition to the remedies provided in this
291	291	section, the department may apply to a district court for an
292	292	injunction restraining a person or railroad corporation from:
293	293	(1) committing a railway safety violation;
294	294	(2) prohibiting entry onto lands pursuant to
295	295	Subsection A of this section; or
296	296	(3) failing or refusing to comply with a rule
297	297	promulgated pursuant to this section.
298	298	D. The department shall, after public notice and a
299	299	public hearing, establish a system of administrative penalties
300	300	on a scale in relation to the severity and frequency of the
301	301	railway safety violation.
302	302	E. A person or railroad corporation aggrieved by a
303	303	decision of the department made under the provisions of this
304	304	section may appeal to the administrative hearings office for a
305	305	hearing. A person or railroad corporation that continues to be
306	306	aggrieved after the decision made by a hearing officer may
307	307	appeal that decision to district court pursuant to the
308	308	provisions of Section 39-3-1.1 NMSA 1978.
309	309	F. The department shall promulgate rules to
310	310	implement the provisions of this section.
311	311	.228644.3
312	312	- 6 - underscored material = new
313	313	[bracketed material] = delete
314	314	1
315	315	2
316	316	3
317	317	4
318	318	5
319	319	6
320	320	7
321	321	8
322	322	9
323	323	10
324	324	11
325	325	12
326	326	13
327	327	14
328	328	15
329	329	16
330	330	17
331	331	18
332	332	19
333	333	20
334	334	21
335	335	22
336	336	23
337	337	24
338	338	25
339	339	SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
340	340	provisions of this act is January 1, 2026.
341	341	- 7 -
342	342	.228644.3