2026 Legislative Session
Below, please find some key links and information to help you successfully navigate the session as you participate in and support work to advocate for our acequia communities, precious waters, and future generations.
Links to bills will be added as they become available.
HB21 Land Grant-Merced Acequia Infrastructure Act (Representative Garcia and Senator Jaramillo)
HB21 is vital to meeting the unmet need for acequia infrastructure funding in New Mexico. HB 21 proposes to create the Land Grant-Merced and Acequia Infrastructure Project Funds. These would be funded through the allocation of 2.2 percent of the severance tax bond (STB) capacity to fund qualifying certified Land Grant-Merced and Acequia infrastructure projects. The funds would support investment in rural, historic communities in terms of infrastructure, disaster recovery, and rural economic development. Depending on this year, this could make available between $10-$20 million per year for qualifying projects. This bill also creates SB59 the Land Grant-Merced and Acequia Infrastructure Trust Fund, which will have no appropriations at this time.
The Acequia Infrastructure Project Fund would be administered by the Acequia Bureau of the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) and has a strong track record of timely completion of infrastructure projects by serving as a “one-stop-shop” for planning, design, and construction.
Updates and calls for support will be posted here as they are released.
Acequia Day Joins Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo Day!
Click here to view the NMAA 'My Roundhouse' Bill tracker for the latest information on bill status and upcoming hearings of key acequia bills.
2026 News Articles
Source, NM - NM committee OKs bill giving acequias dedicated funding stream
KSFR 101.1FM - Treaty Day and Acequia Day - February 2, 2026
2025 News Articles
Source, NM - New Mexico's acequia outline 2025 legislative priorities (11/29/24)
Source, NM - Conservation Committee to hear water protection bills Tuesday (1/27/25)
Santa Fe New Mexican - Surface water bills move forward (1/31/25)
KUNM - Acequia advocates ask for more money as drought and disaster hit waterways (2/11/25)
Source, NM - NM legislative roundup Feb. 11: ¡Pala power! (2/11/25)
The Albuquerque Journal - Photographs of 2025 New Mexico Legislative Session (2/13/25)
Los Alamos Daily Post - Legislative Roundup: 39 Days Remaining In Session (2/12/25)