Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the Legislature. LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they
are used for other purposes.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR
Lundstrom/Johnson/Lujan/Lara/
De La Cruz
LAST UPDATED
ORIGINAL DATE 2/1/2025
SHORT TITLE
Stop, Look & Listen For Railroad
Equipment
BILL
NUMBER House Bill 160
ANALYST Hanika-Ortiz
ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT*
(dollars in thousands)
Agency/Program
FY25 FY26 FY27
3 Year
Total Cost
Recurring or
Nonrecurring
Fund
Affected
TRD
Indeterminate
but minimal
Indeterminate
but minimal
Recurring
Other State
Funds
Law Enforcement
Indeterminate
but minimal
Indeterminate
but minimal
Recurring
County
General Funds
Parentheses ( ) indicate expenditure decreases.
*Amounts reflect most recent analysis of this legislation.
Sources of Information
LFC Files
Agency Analysis was Solicited but Not Received From
New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of House Bill 160
House Bill 160 (HB160) amends the Motor Vehicle Code to require all drivers to stop a certain
distance from and look for other on-track equipment, besides trains, at railroad crossings.
This bill does not contain an effective date and, as a result, would go into effect 90 days after the
Legislature adjourns if enacted, or June 20, 2025.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
In New Mexico, a violation of the statute, along with other railroad crossing violations, is $150.
Fines collected from the infraction would be processed by the courts. The Department of
Transportation (NMDOT) would have expenses related to public awareness campaigns; and
local governments would have costs related to enforcement.
House Bill 160 – Page 2
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
At railroad crossings, only trains have the right-of-way over all other traffic. The bill would add
“other on-track equipment” at all railroad-highway grade crossings.
The bill describes “other on-track equipment” as “any car, rolling stock or other device that alone
or coupled to another device is operated on stationary rails.” The bill would require all drivers,
including school bus drivers and drivers carrying hazardous materials, to abide by certain
stopping distance requirements when approaching “other on-track equipment,” not just trains.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
If this bill becomes law, it would be incorporated into the state’s traffic laws and added to
enforcement duties for the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
Duplicates Senate Bill 135 from the 2023 legislative session.
Relates to House Bill 146, the Railway Safety Act, mandating the use of certain safety systems.
OTHER SUBSTANT IVE ISSUES
A railroad-highway grade crossing is an intersection where a road or path meets tracks at the
same level. According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, which sets standards for
crossings, there were nine railroad-highway grade crossing incidents in New Mexico in 2023.
AHO/sgs/hg/sgs