Jan. 6—A bill that would put the brakes on a rule requiring New Mexico car dealers to make electric vehicles a bigger part of their inventory is among the first pieces of proposed legislation filed ahead of the upcoming 60-day session.
Since the filing of legislation opened up Thursday, state representatives have filed 17 bills and two resolutions, and senators have introduced 10 bills and one joint resolution.
The proposals cover a wide range of topics, from a bill that would increase a shooting threat to a fourth-degree felony from a misdemeanor to one that would withhold state funding from public libraries that ban books over political or religious objections, among other reasons.
The proposals include new ideas, such as creating a special “iron horse” license plate for motorcycles owned as collector’s items that are at least 35 years old, and revive others, such as a constitutional amendment that would make all legislative sessions 45 days long. Currently, sessions last 60 days in odd-numbered years and 30 days in even years.
As is the case in every legislative session, some proposals will get little attention while others will spark controversy.
Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, said his proposal to abolish the electric vehicle mandate seeks to “quit trying to handicap” the state’s automotive dealerships, which say the demand for such vehicles doesn’t exist.
The rule calls for 43% of new cars and light-duty trucks delivered to New Mexico to be electric models by 2026 and 82% by 2032. At the same time, 15% to 20% of new, heavier-duty commercial trucks delivered to the state must be electric by 2026, and 40% to 70% must be zero-emission models by 2034, depending on their class.
“Right now, we are selling between 4 and 8% electric vehicles out of those dealerships,” Woods said. “Those dealers tell me they’ll sell whatever the demand is. If it’s bicycles, they’ll sell bicycles. But right now, the demand is not to buy electric vehicles at the mandated inventory request that the [state Environmental Improvement Board] has put on them.”
Woods’ proposal states “the board shall not adopt or continue in effect a rule that requires a manufacturer to produce or deliver for sale a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles for a model year to control motor vehicle emissions or for any other lawful purpose.”
Drew Goretzka, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Environment Department, said the agency doesn’t support Woods’ proposal.
“We appreciate Sen. Woods’ concern surrounding our work to offer more New Mexicans the opportunity to drive zero-emission vehicles,” he said in a statement. “However, we don’t believe this is a friendly amendment.”
Woods said he doesn’t oppose electric vehicles but called the mandate a “lofty idea.”
“I carried one of the first bills on electric vehicles for the credits and to take care of something about the road taxes on it,” he said. “It even included charging stations.”
The bill died in the House because it wasn’t called up for discussion in time, Woods said.
“When you talk about advocates, well, at one time I was a big advocate of electric [vehicles], and I’m still an advocate, so to speak,” he said. “But it’s an advocate of choice is what I’m an advocate of. Choice. We shouldn’t mandate [New Mexicans] to do anything. We should allow choices to happen in the market.”
He said he filed his proposal early for two reasons. First, bills are numbered and “hopefully” will be heard in the order in which they’re numbered. But Woods said he primarily wanted to get out early to signal his intentions for the session.
“I want to flash what my agenda is,” he said, “and my agenda is more of an agenda of economic development.”
Follow Daniel J. Chacón on Twitter @danieljchacon.