Why SB 18 Raises Serious Concerns

As currently drafted, SB 18 would place New Mexico among the most restrictive states in the nation at a time when affordability, workforce growth, and economic diversification must remain top priorities.

When companies decide where to invest and create jobs, they consistently evaluate four key factors:

Regulatory cost
Regulatory certainty
Infrastructure readiness
Project timelines

SB 18 raises concerns in all four areas.

Impacts on Employers and Investment

The bill’s scope extends beyond power generation to major employers across multiple sectors, and it counts emissions from out-of-state electricity toward in-state limits. This approach increases costs for New Mexico businesses based on factors they do not control, making the state less competitive for new and expanding investment.

Fiscal Uncertainty and Risk

The Fiscal Impact Report underscores these concerns. Because SB 18 delegates broad authority without clear implementation direction, the report states that revenue impacts cannot be estimated, while warning of potentially significant losses to:

The general fund
Permanent funds
Education funding
Healthcare services
Local government revenues

This level of fiscal and regulatory uncertainty discourages investment and job creation—directly undermining economic development efforts statewide.

For these reasons, NM IDEA urges legislators to oppose SB 18 and instead pursue solutions that balance environmental progress with economic opportunity, affordability, and job growth.

Your voice matters.

Share your perspective with policymakers and advocate for a practical, balanced path forward for New Mexico.

Dear [Lawmaker],

Thank you for your service and for the opportunity to consider public input on Senate Bill 18.

As an economic development professional in New Mexico, I support clean air, clean water, and responsible stewardship of our natural resources. My concern with SB 18 is not its intent, but whether the bill reflects New Mexico’s economic realities and maintains our competitiveness for investment and job creation.

As written, SB 18 would place New Mexico among the most restrictive states in the nation at a time when affordability, workforce growth, and economic diversification must be top priorities. Companies considering investment in New Mexico evaluate regulatory cost, certainty, infrastructure readiness, and project timelines. SB 18 raises concerns in all four areas. Its scope extends beyond power generation to major employers across multiple sectors, and it counts emissions from out-of-state electricity toward in-state limits—imposing costs over factors businesses do not control.

The Fiscal Impact Report further notes that because the bill delegates authority without clear implementation direction, revenue impacts cannot be estimated and may result in significant losses to the general fund, permanent funds, education, healthcare, and local governments.

That level of fiscal and regulatory uncertainty discourages investment and job creation and could have long-term consequences for New Mexico communities.

For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose SB 18 and to work toward solutions that balance environmental goals with economic opportunity and stability.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
______

First Name

Last Name

Phone

Address

Zip