New Mexico legislation · 2026 Regular Session
New Mexico HB171: WILDFIRE FUND ACT
Status: Failed, January 27, 2026
What the bill says
An act relating to electric utilities; enacting the wildfire fund act; providing for the collection of surcharges on electric service; establishing the wildfire fund; requiring notices of interest; providing eligibility requirements, including wildfire mitigation plans; creating the position of service infrastructure safety engineer in the public regulation commission; creating the service infrastructure safety bureau in the public regulation commission; requiring reports; making an appropriation.
From the introduced text, January 27, 2026:
AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES; ENACTING THE WILDFIRE FUND ACT; PROVIDING FOR THE COLLECTION OF SURCHARGES ON ELECTRIC SERVICE; ESTABLISHING THE WILDFIRE FUND; REQUIRING NOTICES OF INTEREST; PROVIDING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING WILDFIRE MITIGATION PLANS; CREATING THE POSITION OF SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY ENGINEER IN THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION; CREATING THE SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY BUREAU IN THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION; REQUIRING REPORTS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO: SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--Sections through 10 of this act may be cited as the "Wildfire Fund Act". SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Wildfire Fund Act: .232495.2 wen = lairetam derocsrednu eteled = ]lairetam detekcarb[ A. "administrator" means the administrator of the fund; B. "commission" means the public regulation commission; C. "covered wildfire" means a wildfire ignition that is caused by a participating electric utility; D. "electric utility" means a business that operates service infrastructure to generate, transmit or deliver electric power to a customer; E. "eligible claims" means claims for damages against a participating electric utility resulting from covered wildfires; F. "fund" means the wildfire fund; G. "participating electric utility" means an electric utility that is eligible for disbursements from the fund; H. "risk estimate" means the estimated average annual financial liability risk for a participating electric utility from …
Sponsors
- Linda Serrato (D, HD-045) · primary sponsor
- Peter Wirth (D, SD-025)
- Javier Martínez (D, HD-011)
- Christine Chandler (D, HD-043)
Latest actions
- : Not Printed
- : Action Postponed Indefinitely
Subjects: ENVIRONMENT, UTILITIES (sewer, electric, gas, water, telephone), FINANCE, PUBLIC
Common questions
- What is HB171?
- HB171 is a bill in the New Mexico Legislature (2026 Regular Session): WILDFIRE FUND ACT.
- What does HB171 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to electric utilities; enacting the wildfire fund act; providing for the collection of surcharges on electric service; establishing the wildfire fund; requiring notices of interest; providing eligibility requirements, including wildfire mitigation plans; creating the position of service infrastructure safety engineer in the public regulation commission; creating the service infrastructure safety bureau in the public regulation commission; requiring reports; making an appropriation.
- What is the status of HB171?
- Failed as of January 27, 2026. Latest action: Not Printed (January 27, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB171?
- Linda Serrato (D, HD-045), with 3 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB171?
- On the New Mexico Legislature website: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legType=B&legNo=171&year=26
Source: official New Mexico record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.