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HM 20

WATER & WASTEWATER OPERATORS

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joseph Sanchez

Urges the legislature to designate certified water and wastewater operators as essential workers and fund a study on adding them to state health insurance and retirement benefits.

action postponed indefinitely
#memorials #other
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Bill Summary · HM 20

Summary of House Memorial 20 (Water & Wastewater Operators)

Overview

  • bill number: HM 20
  • title: Water & Wastewater Operators
  • type: Memorial (non-binding)
  • sponsor: Representative Joseph Sanchez
  • introduced: February 11, 2025
  • current status: Action postponed indefinitely (as of June 3, 2025)
  • committee action: Referred to House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs; no further action indicated in the provided record
  • related measure: Duplicates House Joint Memorial 1

Purpose and Intent

House Memorial 20 urges the Legislature to support legislation that would:
- elevate certified water and wastewater operators to the status of essential workers; and
- fund a study to analyze adding water and wastewater operators to the state health insurance and retirement benefit programs.

In short, the memorial seeks legislative action to formally recognize operators as essential workers and to explore expanded benefits coverage for them.

Key Provisions (Substantive Aspects)

  • Non-binding recommendation: As a memorial, HM 20 does not enact new law by itself but requests legislative action.
  • Legislative support for elevating status: Encourages passage of legislation to designate certified water and wastewater operators as essential workers.
  • Funding for a study: Calls for a Legislature-funded study to assess the feasibility and implications of including water and wastewater operators in state health insurance and retirement benefits.
  • Lead agency question: The memorial does not designate a lead entity or timeline for the study (this is noted as a significant gap in the fiscal note).
  • Relation to other measures: Duplicates House Joint Memorial 1 (HJ R?), indicating overlapping objectives.

Fiscal Implications

  • One-time study cost: The Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) estimates up to $65,900 (general fund) for a contractor to conduct the study.
  • Lead agency: LFC analysis assumes the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) would likely lead the study, given its regulatory role over water systems (though no lead is specified in HM 20 itself).
  • Operating impact: No ongoing operating costs are anticipated for NMED from HM 20.
  • Effective date considerations: HM 20 does not specify an effective date. If enacted, it would become effective 90 days after Legislative adjournment or by June 20, 2025, per the memorial’s notes in the fiscal analysis.

Affected Parties

  • Certified water and wastewater operators: Potential beneficiaries if the operators are elevated to essential status and/or included in state benefit programs.
  • State agencies/administration: Potential lead for the study, with NMED most likely; implications for health insurance and retirement benefit design.
  • General Fund: Potential one-time expenditure of up to $65.9k for the study.

Timeline and Procedural Notes

  • Introduced: February 11, 2025
  • Committee referral: House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs
  • Fiscal note: February 12, 2025 (LFC)
  • Status update: Action postponed indefinitely as of June 3, 2025
  • Effective date: Not specified in the memorial; if enacted, effect would follow standard memorial timing (90 days after adjournment or June 20, 2025)

Observations and Considerations

  • The memorial identifies a policy objective (essential-worker designation) and a consequential study (benefits expansion) but provides limited implementation details (lead, timeline, and measurable outcomes).
  • It duplicates HJM 1, suggesting a shared policy goal that may be pursued through either memorial in future sessions.
  • The indefinite postponement indicates the measure is not moving forward in the current session, but the policy concepts could be revisited later.

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

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