New Mexico: Busy Two-Month Session Adjourns on Good Note

When the Legislature adjourned after its 60-day session on March 17, 22 bills focusing on insurance were passed, and Gov. Bill Richardson, signed several that are of importance to the insurance industry, including SB 483, the "file and use" rate modernization bill, and SB 165, the consumer credit report freeze bill.

Richardson also signed into law two significant DUI/DWI bills: HB 126, which addresses ignition interlock device licenses for certain people convicted of DWIs, and HB 1311, which relates to DWI recidivism and driver rehabilitation programs.

Senate Bill 350, Capitol Requirements and Insurance Provisions, which is a general administrative "clean-up" bill, and SB 861, Traffic Camera and Signal Warning Signs, which addresses providing motorist with warning signs of cameras set up to detect violations of traffic signals, were also signed.

The legislative session was also notable for the controversial anti-insurance bill HB 1301 that would have required carriers to waive windshield replacement deductibles, which eventually became merely a study bill, HM 98, and a bill pertaining to motor vehicle event data recording devices. Both of these unpopular bills were defeated in the Legislature.

Direct questions to NAMIC State Affairs Manager Christian Rataj.

Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:04:12 AM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.