HB 25 - Land Grant-Merced Infrastructure Act

HB 25 creates a land grant assistance fund with an earmark of severance tax bonds (STBs).

Provide assistance to acequias in the adjudication process, including legal representation & experts. Support for water settlement negotiations and implementation.

Funding for acequia infrastructure: planning, engineering design, construction. Provide state cost share for federal programs including Army Corp (90/10), USDA/NRCS/FSA, and disaster assistance (75/25) FEMA, DHSEM, NRCS.

Funding to supplement the ACDIF, cost share for state and federal programs and disaster assistance (same as above).

Funding to have 1.0 FTE for the NM Acequia Commission to serve as director. This is needed for NMAC to fulfill its role as an advisory body.

HB 24 - Community Governance Attorney's Changes

Amendments would make acequia-serving non profits (along with land grant serving non profits and NMDOJ) to be qualified employers, removes cost share.

$10 million special appropriation to NMDA.

Provide the state cost share required to implement various settlements. This supports overall implementation for all parties and also funds the part of settlements that are specific to acequias.

Support legislation to establish a surface water quality permitting program.

Support increased funding for the program that provides grants for river and watershed restoration.

Support funding to assist small political subdivisions with financial compliance.

Enable counties to petition state agencies (CCD and OSE) to grant a moratorium on new cannabis permits for up to two years.