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New Mexico / State / 57th Legislature, 1st Session, 2025

Laws 2025, ch. 11 (HB 161) Opened unlimited free state park day use and camping to every resident veteran

Catalog reconciledEnactedScope changed

Signed Takes effect

Expands benefits Gives every resident veteran, including six-year Guard and reserve members, a lifetime pass for day use and camping at state parks.

Rewrote NMSA 1978, § 16-2-7.1. The old section gave a veteran rated 50 percent or more one annual day-use pass and one three-day camping pass. The new one gives every resident veteran, including six-year Guard and reserve members and PHS and NOAA officers, not separated under dishonorable conditions, a day-use pass for unlimited entry and a camping pass for unlimited use. Signed March 20, 2025, effective June 20, 2025; State Parks began issuing the lifetime pass on July 1, 2025.

Progress

Path to law: Bill in a two-chamber legislature

  1. Introduced Done,
  2. In committee Done, House Labor, Veterans' and Military Affairs, then Rural Development
  3. Passed one chamber Done, House, 59-0
  4. Passed both chambers Done, Senate, 39-0
  5. Signed by the governor Done, Laws 2025, chapter 11
  6. In effect Done,

Sponsors

  • Rebecca DowSponsor, Republican, House, District 38
  • Jay C. BlockSponsor, Republican, Senate, District 12
  • Alan T. MartinezSponsor, Republican, House, District 23
  • Tara L. LujanSponsor, Democratic, House, District 48
  • Debra M. SariñanaSponsor, Democratic, House, District 21
  • Michelle Paulene AbeytaCo-sponsor, Democratic, House, District 69
  • Gail ArmstrongCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 49
  • John BlockCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 51
  • Mark DuncanCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 2
  • Miguel P. GarcíaCo-sponsor, Democratic, House, District 14
  • Joshua N. HernandezCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 60
  • D. Wonda JohnsonCo-sponsor, Democratic, House, District 5
  • Jenifer JonesCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 32
  • Raymundo LaraCo-sponsor, Democratic, House, District 34
  • Stefani LordCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 22
  • Mark B. MurphyCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 59
  • Gabriel RamosCo-sponsor, Republican, Senate, District 28
  • Joseph SanchezCo-sponsor, Democratic, House, District 40
  • Luis M. TerrazasCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 39
  • Harlan VincentCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 56
  • Martin R. ZamoraCo-sponsor, Republican, House, District 63

What it touches

  • NMSA 1978, § 16-2-7.1

Catalog entry

Official record

Read Laws 2025, ch. 11 (HB 161) on the jurisdiction's own record