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HOUSE BILL 17
57
TH LEGISLATURE
-
STATE
OF
NEW
MEXICO
-
FIRST SESSION
,
2025
INTRODUCED BY
Charlotte Little and Sarah Silva and Reena Szczepanski
AN ACT
RELATING TO CONSUMER RIGHTS; CREATING THE COMMISSION ON
REDUCTION OF GROCERY COSTS; REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE COST OF
GROCERIES; REQUIRING A REPORT WITH FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
BY NOVEMBER 15, 2025; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--COMMISSION ON REDUCTION
OF GROCERY COSTS--APPOINTMENT--PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS--
REQUIRING REPORTING.--
A. The "commission on reduction of grocery costs"
is created and shall function from the date of its appointment
until March 31, 2026.
B. The commission on reduction of grocery costs
consists of nine members, no more than five of whom shall be
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from the same political party, appointed as follows:
(1) the governor shall appoint three members;
(2) the New Mexico legislative council shall
appoint six members; and
(3) the appointing authorities shall make
every effort to ensure that:
(a) there is economic, geographic,
gender, cultural and racial diversity among the appointed
members; and
(b) members have expertise in economics,
consumer protection, agriculture, trade, food production or
nutrition.
C. The commission shall elect a chair and may elect
such officers as it deems necessary to carry out its duties.
D. Two absences from meetings of the commission
constitutes grounds for removal of a member of the commission.
Upon the request of the chair of the commission, the appointing
authority shall replace the member who has failed to attend two
meetings of the commission.
E. A majority of the members appointed constitutes
a quorum for the transaction of business. The support of a
majority of the members appointed is required for adoption of
any action by the commission.
F. The commission shall:
(1) review policies and develop policy
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proposals for reducing the cost of groceries for New Mexico's
consumers;
(2) recommend strategies to support food
businesses that produce locally grown, raised and processed raw
and value-added products and to expand access to those products
in retail grocery settings;
(3) evaluate whether increased investments in
supply chain infrastructure, including transportation, cold
storage and aggregation, would improve the resilience and
adaptability of the state's food system and reduce grocery
costs and grocery price volatility;
(4) evaluate the sufficiency of the state's
laws regarding price gouging, dynamic pricing and other price
manipulations that increase grocery costs for consumers;
(5) focus its efforts on the cost of essential
household foods, including eggs, milk, fresh produce, bread,
tortillas and foods with minimal processing;
(6) consider actions that the state can take
to insulate the state's consumers from the impact of any
federal trade agreements and changes that would increase
grocery costs for consumers; and
(7) consider any other policies or trends that
contribute to increased grocery costs for consumers and make
recommendations to reduce grocery costs.
G. The commission shall submit a report of its
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findings, including specific recommendations and proposed
legislation, to the governor, the New Mexico legislative
council and the appropriate legislative interim committee
dealing with consumer protections and the economy by November
15, 2025.
H. The commission shall hire or contract for
appropriate staff. Staff shall assist the commission as
directed by the chair, including conducting interviews with
persons that wish to express their views to the commission and
synthesizing information developed through interviews for the
commission. The commission may request assistance from the
legislative council service and the economic development
department.
I. Members of the commission are entitled to
compensation pursuant to the provisions of the Per Diem and
Mileage Act and shall receive no other perquisite, compensation
or allowance for their service on the commission.
SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Four hundred thousand dollars
($400,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the
economic development department for expenditure in fiscal years
2025 and 2026 to support the work of the commission on
reduction of grocery costs. Any unexpended or unencumbered
balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2026 shall revert
to the general fund.
SECTION 3. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public
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peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.
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