The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Mexico establishes wildfire mitigation plans and liability limits for electric utilities under House Bill 267
Last action · February 12, 2026: HENRC: Reported by committee with Do Not Pass but with a Do Pass recommendation on Committee SubstitutionSponsors: Meredith Dixon and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
Electric utilities in New Mexico may submit wildfire mitigation plans to the public regulation commission for approval, which grants them liability protections and cost recovery s if approved. The bill caps noneconomic damages at $500,000 per plaintiff in qualified wildfire civil actions, shortens the statute of limitations to one year, and appropriates a total of $2,250,000 to state agencies for 2027.
Property owners and utility customers face new legal thresholds and shortened timelines when seeking damages from utility-caused wildfires, while electric utilities gain structured cost-recovery mechanisms and liability protections upon maintaining compliance with state-approved safety plans.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Electric utilities
Electric utilities are permitted to submit wildfire mitigation plans, become eligible for cost recovery riders, and receive liability protections upon maintaining compliance.
Rural electric cooperatives
Cooperatives are granted access to annual state grants of up to $1,000,000 to assist in implementing approved mitigation plans.
Utility customers
Customers face permanent mitigation plan cost recovery riders on electricity service bills that adjust through annual truing-up processes.
Wildfire plaintiffs
Plaintiffs face a shortened one-year statute of limitations, stricter evidentiary standards, and damage caps when pursuing civil actions against utilities for wildfires.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can an electric utility begin submitting a wildfire mitigation plan?
What is the maximum grant amount available for a rural electric cooperative?
What is the statute of limitations for bringing a qualified wildfire civil action against an electric utility?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 12, 2026HouseHENRC: Reported by committee with Do Not Pass but with a Do Pass recommendation on Committee Substitution
- Feb 6, 2026HouseCommitteeSent to HENRC - Referrals: HENRC/HAFC
- Feb 6, 2026New Mexico LegislatureCommitteeWithdrawn from committee or daily calendar, ordered printed and referred to
- Jan 30, 2026New Mexico LegislatureNot Printed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.nmlegis.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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