Roadrunner Capitol Reports
Legislation Detail

*CS/SB 275/a CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS

Sen Nancy Rodriguez

Actions: [6] SFC-SFC [13] DNP-CS/DP/a - PASSED/S (36-0) [15] HTRC-HTRC- DP - PASSED/H (62-0) SGND BY GOV (Mar. 6) Ch. 66 (partial veto).

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

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Summary:
 Senate Bill 275 (SB 275):  This legislative act is related to capital expenditures in the state of New Mexico. It outlines various provisions, appropriations, limitations, and requirements regarding the use of funds for specific projects.  
Legislation Overview:
 Senate Bill 275 (SB 275):  Section 1: General Fund Appropriations--Limitations--Reversions
•	Specifies reversion dates for unexpended balances of appropriations made from the general fund.
•	Outlines conditions for reversion based on project types and completion dates.
•	Requires agencies to certify the need for appropriations to the Department of Finance and Administration.
•	Prohibits binding written agreements with third parties before agency approval.
•	Defines "unexpended balance" as the remainder after reserving for unpaid costs and expenses under a binding written agreement.

Section 2: Fund Appropriations Other Than General Fund-- Limitations—Reversions:
•	Similar to Section 1 but applies to appropriations from funds other than the general fund.
•	Specifies reversion dates based on project types and completion dates.
•	Prohibits the use of money for indirect project costs.
•	Defines "unexpended balance" in the same manner as Section 1.

Section 3: Administrative Office of the Courts Projects--General Fund
•	Allocates specific amounts from the general fund for various projects of the Administrative Office of the Courts.
•	Specifies purposes and locations for the allocated funds.

Section 4: Amendment to Laws 2023, Chapter 199, Section 1
•	Amends the reversion dates and certification requirements for general fund appropriations made in a previous legislative act (Laws 2023, Chapter 199).

Section 5: Project Scope--Expenditures
•	Allows flexibility in project expenditures, stating that if an appropriation is insufficient for all specified purposes, it may be used for any portion of the specified purposes.

Section 6: Art in Public Places
•	Allocates one percent for the art in public places fund, where applicable, in accordance with Section 13-4A-4 NMSA 1978.

Section 7: Emergency
•	Declares an emergency, indicating that the act is necessary for the public peace, health, and safety, and should take effect immediately.
 
Amendments:
 Amended February 13, 2024, in SFC

SFCa/SB 275
•	1.  On page 1, line 23, after the semicolon, insert
 	"AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SEVERANCE TAX BONDS FOR CERTAIN
 TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND PROJECTS WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES;
 ESTABLISHING CONDITIONS FOR THE EXPENDITURE AND APPROPRIATION OF THE
 BOND PROCEEDS AND FOR THE REVERSION OF UNEXPENDED BALANCES OF BOND
 PROCEEDS; ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR THE BONDS;".
 	2.  On page 248, between lines 2 and 3, insert:
 	"SECTION 57.  SEVERANCE TAX BONDS--AUTHORIZATIONS-
APPROPRIATION OF PROCEEDS.-
o	A.  The state board of finance may issue and sell severance
 		tax bonds up to three hundred twenty million dollars ($320,000,000)
 in compliance with the Severance Tax Bonding Act in fiscal year 2025
 for the transportation projects certified pursuant to Subsection B
 	of this section; provided that the state board of finance shall only
 	issue bonds with a term that does not extend beyond the fiscal year
 in which they are issued.  The state board of finance shall schedule
 the issuance and sale of the bonds in the most expeditious and
 		economical manner possible upon a finding by the board that the
project has been developed sufficiently to justify the issuance and
 		that the project can proceed to contract within a reasonable time. 
The state board of finance shall further take the appropriate steps
 		necessary to comply with the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
 as amended.  Proceeds from the sale of the bonds are appropriated to
 		the department of transportation for the projects provided in
•	Subsection B of this section.
o	B.  The department of transportation shall certify to the
 state board of finance when the money from the proceeds of the
 severance tax bonds authorized in this section is needed for the
 		following transportation projects.  If the department of
 transportation has not certified the need for severance tax bond
 proceeds for a project by the end of fiscal year 2025, the
 authorization for that project is void:
•	(1)  up to forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000)
 for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 	the interchange at the intersection of state highway 213 and state
 	highway 404;
•	(2)  up to forty million dollars ($40,000,000) for
 	acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of the
 interstate 25 corridor from milepost 276 to milepost 291;
•	(3)  up to sixty-two million eight hundred thousand
 	dollars ($62,800,000) for acquisition of rights of way,
 	reconstruction and improvement of the bridge on interstate 40 east
 	of Gallup from milepost 28.7 to milepost 30.7;
•	(4)  up to forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000)
 	for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 	United States highway 380 from Roswell to the Texas state line;
•	(5)  up to twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000)
 for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
the interchange at the intersection of interstate 25 and United
 	States highway 64 in Raton;
•	(6)  up to seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) for
 	acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 	United States highway 180 from milepost 128.27 to milepost 142.5;
•	(7)  up to eight million dollars ($8,000,000) for
 	acquisition of rights of way and the first phase of construction of
 	an interchange in Los Lunas to access interstate 25 at milepost 202;
•	(8)  up to seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000)
 	for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
New Mexico highway 128 from milepost 28.8 to 50.5; and
•	(9)  up to one hundred seven million dollars
 	($107,000,000) for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and
 improvement of Rio Bravo boulevard in Albuquerque and Bernalillo
county from milepost 8.98 to 10.32.
•	C.  Before the department of transportation may certify for
 	the need of severance tax bond proceeds, the project shall be
 	developed sufficiently so that the department reasonably expects to:
o	(1)  incur within six months after the applicable bond
 		proceeds are available for the project a substantial binding
 obligation to a third party to expend at least five percent of the
 		bond proceeds for the project; and
o	(2)  spend at least eighty-five percent of the bond
 proceeds within three years after the applicable bond proceeds are
 		available for the project.
•	D.  Except as otherwise specifically provided by law:
o	(1) the unexpended balance from the proceeds of
severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 		severance tax bonding fund within six months of completion of the
 		project, but no later than the end of fiscal year 2027; and
o	(2)  all remaining balances from the proceeds of
 		severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 		severance tax bonding fund three months after the latest reversion
 		date specified for that type of project in Paragraph (1) of this
 subsection.
•	E.  Money from severance tax bond proceeds provided
 	pursuant to this section shall not be used to pay indirect project
 	costs.
•	F.  Money that is appropriated from the proceeds of
 	severance tax bonds pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
 	a binding written agreement with a third party prior to the
 	department of transportation's approval to enter into that
 	agreement.
•	G.  For the purposes of this section, "unexpended balance"
 	means the remainder of an appropriation after reserving for unpaid
 costs and expenses subject to a binding written agreement with a
 	third party.
 SECTION 58.  SEVERANCE TAX BONDS--AUTHORIZATIONS--APPROPRIATION
 OF PROCEEDS.-
•	A.  The state board of finance may issue and sell severance
 	tax bonds up to thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) in compliance
 with the Severance Tax Bonding Act in fiscal year 2025 for projects
 within tribal communities certified pursuant to Subsection B of this
 section; provided that the state board of finance shall only issue
 	bonds with a term that does not extend beyond the fiscal year in
 	which they are issued.  The state board of finance shall schedule
 	the issuance and sale of the bonds in the most expeditious and
 economical manner possible upon a finding by the board that the
 	project has been developed sufficiently to justify the issuance and
 that the project can proceed to contract within a reasonable time. 
The state board of finance shall further take the appropriate steps
 necessary to comply with the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
 	as amended.  Proceeds from the sale of the bonds are appropriated to
 Indian affairs department for the projects provided in Subsection B
 of this section.
•	B.  The Indian affairs department shall certify to the
 state board of finance when the money from the proceeds of the
 severance tax bonds authorized in this section is needed to complete
 a prior approved project or fund a project provided for in this act
 within a tribal community.  If the Indian affairs department has not
 	certified the need for severance tax bond proceeds for a project by
 the end of fiscal year 2025, the authorization for that project is
 void.
•	C.  Except as otherwise specifically provided by law:
o	(1) the unexpended balance from the proceeds of
 severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 		severance tax bonding fund within six months of completion of the
 project, but no later than the end of fiscal year 2027; and
o	(2)  all remaining balances from the proceeds of
 		severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 		severance tax bonding fund three months after the latest reversion
 		date specified for that type of project in Paragraph (1) of this
 		subsection.
•	D.  Money from severance tax bond proceeds provided
 pursuant to this section shall not be used to pay indirect project
 	costs.
•	E.  Money that is appropriated from the proceeds of
severance tax bonds pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
 	a binding written agreement with a third party prior to the Indian
 	affairs department's approval to enter into that agreement.
•	F.  For the purposes of this section, "unexpended balance"
 	means the remainder of an appropriation after reserving for unpaid
 	costs and expenses subject to a binding written agreement with a
 	third party.".
•	Renumber the succeeding section accordingly.
 
Committee Substitute:
 Committee Substitute February 13, 2024, in SFC

SFCcs/SB 275:
•	On page 1, line 23, after the semicolon, insert “AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SEVERANCE TAX BONDS FOR CERTAIN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND PROJECTS WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES; ESTABLISHING CONDITIONS FOR THE EXPENDITURE AND APPROPRIATION OF THE BOND PROCEEDS AND FOR THE REVERSION OF UNEXPENDED BALANCES OF BOND
 PROCEEDS; ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR THE BONDS;".
•	On page 248, between lines 2 and 3, insert: "SECTION 57.  SEVERANCE TAX BONDS--AUTHORIZATIONS- APPROPRIATION OF PROCEEDS. -
•	The state board of finance may issue and sell severance
 tax bonds up to three hundred twenty million dollars ($320,000,000)
in compliance with the Severance Tax Bonding Act in fiscal year 2025
 	for the transportation projects certified pursuant to Subsection B
 	of this section; provided that the state board of finance shall only
 issue bonds with a term that does not extend beyond the fiscal year
 in which they are issued.  The state board of finance shall schedule
 	the issuance and sale of the bonds in the most expeditious and
 	economical manner possible upon a finding by the board that the
 	project has been developed sufficiently to justify the issuance and
that the project can proceed to contract within a reasonable time. 
The state board of finance shall further take the appropriate steps
 necessary to comply with the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
 as amended.  Proceeds from the sale of the bonds are appropriated to
 	the department of transportation for the projects provided in
 	Subsection B of this section.
•	The department of transportation shall certify to the
 	state board of finance when the money from the proceeds of the
 	severance tax bonds authorized in this section is needed for the
 following transportation projects.  If the department of
 	transportation has not certified the need for severance tax bond
 	proceeds for a project by the end of fiscal year 2025, the
 	authorization for that project is void:
o	(1) up to forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000)
 		for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 		the interchange at the intersection of state highway 213 and state
 highway 404;
o	(2)  up to forty million dollars ($40,000,000) for
 		acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of the
interstate 25 corridor from milepost 276 to milepost 291;
o	(3)  up to sixty-two million eight hundred thousand
dollars ($62,800,000) for acquisition of rights of way,
 		reconstruction and improvement of the bridge on interstate 40 east
 		of Gallup from milepost 28.7 to milepost 30.7;
o	(4)  up to forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000)
 		for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 		United States highway 380 from Roswell to the Texas state line;
o	(5)  up to twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000)
 		for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
the interchange at the intersection of interstate 25 and United
 		States highway 64 in Raton;
o	(6)  up to seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) for
 		acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 United States highway 180 from milepost 128.27 to milepost 142.5;
o	(7)  up to eight million dollars ($8,000,000) for
 		acquisition of rights of way and the first phase of construction of
 		an interchange in Los Lunas to access interstate 25 at milepost 202;
o	(8)  up to seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000)
for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and improvement of
 		New Mexico highway 128 from milepost 28.8 to 50.5; and
o	(9)  up to one hundred seven million dollars
 		($107,000,000) for acquisition of rights of way, reconstruction and
 		improvement of Rio Bravo boulevard in Albuquerque and Bernalillo
 		county from milepost 8.98 to 10.32.
•	Before the department of transportation may certify for
 the need of severance tax bond proceeds, the project shall be
 developed sufficiently so that the department reasonably expects to:
o	(1) incur within six months after the applicable bond
 		proceeds are available for the project a substantial binding
 		obligation to a third party to expend at least five percent of the
 		bond proceeds for the project; and
o	(2)  spend at least eighty-five percent of the bond
 		proceeds within three years after the applicable bond proceeds are
 		available for the project.
•	Except as otherwise specifically provided by law:
o	(1) the unexpended balance from the proceeds of
 		severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 severance tax bonding fund within six months of completion of the
project, but no later than the end of fiscal year 2027; and
o	(2)  all remaining balances from the proceeds of
 		severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 		severance tax bonding fund three months after the latest reversion
 		date specified for that type of project in Paragraph (1) of this
 		subsection.
•	Money from severance tax bond proceeds provided
 	pursuant to this section shall not be used to pay indirect project
 	costs.
•	Money that is appropriated from the proceeds of
 	severance tax bonds pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
 	a binding written agreement with a third party prior to the
 	department of transportation's approval to enter into that
agreement.
For the purposes of this section, "unexpended balance"
 	means the remainder of an appropriation after reserving for unpaid
costs and expenses subject to a binding written agreement with a
third party.
 SECTION 58.  SEVERANCE TAX BONDS--AUTHORIZATIONS--APPROPRIATION
 OF PROCEEDS. -
•	A.  The state board of finance may issue and sell severance
 	tax bonds up to thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) in compliance
 	with the Severance Tax Bonding Act in fiscal year 2025 for projects
 	within tribal communities certified pursuant to Subsection B of this
 section; provided that the state board of finance shall only issue
 	bonds with a term that does not extend beyond the fiscal year in
 	which they are issued.  The state board of finance shall schedule
 	the issuance and sale of the bonds in the most expeditious and
 economical manner possible upon a finding by the board that the
 	project has been developed sufficiently to justify the issuance and
 	that the project can proceed to contract within a reasonable time. 
The state board of finance shall further take the appropriate steps
necessary to comply with the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
 	as amended.  Proceeds from the sale of the bonds are appropriated to
 Indian affairs department for the projects provided in Subsection B
 	of this section.
 B.  The Indian affairs department shall certify to the
 state board of finance when the money from the proceeds of the
 	severance tax bonds authorized in this section is needed to complete
 a prior approved project or fund a project provided for in this act
 	within a tribal community.  If the Indian affairs department has not
 	certified the need for severance tax bond proceeds for a project by
 	the end of fiscal year 2025, the authorization for that project is
 void.
•	C.  Except as otherwise specifically provided by law:
 	 (1)  the unexpended balance from the proceeds of
 severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 severance tax bonding fund within six months of completion of the
 project, but no later than the end of fiscal year 2027; and
 	(2)  all remaining balances from the proceeds of
 	severance tax bonds appropriated for a project shall revert to the
 	severance tax bonding fund three months after the latest reversion
 date specified for that type of project in Paragraph (1) of this
 subsection.
•	D.  Money from severance tax bond proceeds provided
 	pursuant to this section shall not be used to pay indirect project
 	costs.
•	E.  Money that is appropriated from the proceeds of
 	Severance tax bonds pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
 	a binding written agreement with a third party prior to the Indian
 	affairs department's approval to enter into that agreement.
•	F.  For the purposes of this section, "unexpended balance"
 means the remainder of an appropriation after reserving for unpaid
 	costs and expenses subject to a binding written agreement with a
 	third party.".
Renumber the succeeding section accordingly.