The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Mexico House Bill 162 increases vehicle homicide penalties and funds public safety education
Last action · January 26, 2026: Not PrintedSponsors: Heather Berghmans and 3 others
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What This Bill Proposed
New Mexico House Bill 162 elevates the penalty for homicide by vehicle while driving recklessly from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony, creates the new crime of negligent homicide by vehicle, and appropriates $250,000 for a statewide public education campaign.
Changes criminal sentencing guidelines for traffic fatalities and allocates state funds for driver awareness programs, impacting motorists convicted of vehicular crimes and funding state transportation outreach.
- The State of New Mexico operates under a biennial legislative structure where bills are introduced during regular legislative sessions. context
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.
Motorists in New Mexico
Drivers face increased felony penalties for reckless driving offenses involving fatalities and are the target audience for the new public education campaign.
department of transportation
The department receives a $250,000 appropriation to execute a statewide public education campaign on careless and reckless driving.
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
What penalty does the bill establish for reckless driving resulting in vehicle homicide?
What new crime is created by House Bill 162?
How much money is appropriated by the bill and for what purpose?
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 · introduced in the House.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 26, 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Stiffened Penalties for Reckless Driving Fatalities
The legislation raises reckless vehicle homicide from a third to a second-degree felony, reflecting a legislative shift toward harsher punishment for reckless driving deaths.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.nmlegis.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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