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SB 404

HEALTHCARE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Angel Charley and 2 co-sponsors

SB 404 strengthens New Mexico patient healthcare privacy protections but stalled after committee passage, indicating unresolved legislative disagreements.

action postponed indefinitely
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Bill Summary · SB 404

Legislative bill overview

SB 404 strengthens healthcare privacy protections in New Mexico by establishing enhanced safeguards for patient health information and likely restricting unauthorized disclosure or misuse of medical records. The bill was approved by committee in March 2025 but had its floor action indefinitely postponed in June, suggesting unresolved disagreements among lawmakers.

Why is this important

Healthcare privacy breaches can expose sensitive personal information and create financial and reputational harm for patients. Strengthened protections help ensure compliance with both state and federal standards (like HIPAA) and give patients more control over who accesses their medical data. This is particularly relevant as digital health records become more prevalent and cyber threats increase.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and definition: Disagreement over what constitutes protected health information and whether the bill's protections are too broad or too narrow
  • Healthcare provider burden: Concerns that new compliance requirements could increase administrative costs for hospitals, clinics, and medical practices, potentially affecting rural or smaller providers disproportionately
  • Enforcement mechanisms: Debate over whether penalties are sufficient, who enforces violations, and whether private right of action (allowing patients to sue) should be included

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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