Los Alamos Reporter

Legislature: Bipartisan Tax Bill Passes House Unanimously

HOUSE DEMOCRATS NEWS

House Bill 98, a bipartisan bill that will clean up New Mexico’s tax code and provide relief to the home-bound, passed the New Mexico House with a unanimous 65-0 vote. 

Sponsored by Rep. Javier Martínez (D – Albuquerque) and Rep. Jason Harper (R – Rio Rancho), the bipartisan House Bill 98 cleans up several sections of the tax code, ensuring that NM’s tax laws stay up-to-date. This multifaceted bill amends New Mexico’s tax code by:

  • Providing numerous technical cleanups to make the tax code easier to follow.
  • Ensuring that senior, disabled, and immuno-compromised New Mexicans who purchase groceries online because of the pandemic are not penalized with a tax on those groceries.
  • Clarifying the health care provider tax deduction and ensuring that providers can continue to make use of this incentive, which in turn increases access to health care for all New Mexicans.

“This practical and effective bill embodies the bipartisan nature of our legislature,” said Rep. Martínez. “House Bill 98 makes a number of long-needed changes, and very importantly this year, it ensures that our seniors and others who are staying home during this pandemic are not unduly taxed on their grocery deliveries. This bipartisan bill is proof that there is widespread agreement that our state’s tax code can, and must, do better to provide for and uplift the people of New Mexico.”

“As our world changes, it’s important to look at our tax code and ensure it is up to date,” said Rep. Harper. “The changes made here make our laws fairer to the taxpayer and I am proud of the bipartisanship behind this successful and comprehensive bill.”

Having passed the full House, House Bill 98 will now go to the Senate.

Members of the public can track legislation on the New Mexico Legislature website, access committee meetings and House floor sessions via the Webcasts tab, or participate by Zoom to provide public comment on committee hearings. During the 2021 Legislative Session, the House of Representatives is focused on passing critical legislation while protecting the health and safety of the public, the staff, and the legislators.