HB 17 — COMMISSION ON REDUCTION OF GROCERY COSTS

HOUSE BILL 17 57TH LEGISLATURE -STATEOFNEWMEXICO-- STATEOFNEWMEXICO- FIRST SESSION, 2025 INTRODUCED BY Charlotte Little and Sarah Silva and Reena Szczepanski andThis Heatherdocument Berghmansmay andincorporate Natalieamendments Figueroaproposed 7by 9a ANcommittee, ACTbut RELATINGnot TOyet CONSUMERadopted, RIGHTS;as well as amendments that have been adopted during the current legislative session.

CREATINGThe THEdocument COMMISSIONis ONa REDUCTIONtool OFto GROCERYshow COSTS;amendments in context and cannot be used for the purpose of adding amendments to legislation.

REQUIRINGh AAN STUDYACT OFg THEo COSTRELATING OFTO GROCERIES;CONSUMER RIGHTS;

REQUIRINGCREATING ATHE REPORTCOMMISSION WITHON FINDINGSt ANDhr RECOMMENDATIONSg BYe NOVEMBERi 15,k 2025;REDUCTION OF GROCERY COSTS;

MAKINGREQUIRING ANA APPROPRIATION;STUDY OF THE COST OF h r i s GROCERIES;

DECLARINGREQUIRING ANA EMERGENCY.REPORT WITH FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS h , t, BY NOVEMBER 15, 2025;

eHAFCº tMAKING 17AN BEAPPROPRIATION;»HAFC ITe ENACTEDu BYg THEe LEGISLATUREb OFl THEe STATEe OFh NEWDECLARING MEXICO:AN EMERGENCY.

wn d d i = = o h l n] db 18,d SECTIONi 1.a º e BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

TEMPORARYr PROVISION--COMMISSIONi ON REDUCTION = =r 19t a l OF GROCERY COSTS--APPOINTMENT--PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS-- i a e rw 20d REQUIRINGm REPORTING.-- a tn mo mSECTION 211. A.

TheTEMPORARY "commissionPROVISION--COMMISSION onON reductionREDUCTION of grocery costs" d rm e: 22 is created and shall function from the date of its appointment c e s k 23 until March 31, 2026.

b e d s º o t n = .229948.3AIC March 1, 2025 (8:02pm) s k m e e a n be 24d B.r e l u [ A d OF GROCERY COSTS--APPOINTMENT--PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS-- REQUIRING REPORTING.-- A.

The commission"commission on reduction of grocery costscosts" uis [created consistsand of nine members, no more than five of whom shall befunction .229948.3 from the samedate politicalof party,its appointedappointment asuntil follows:March 31, 2026.

B.

The commission on reduction of grocery costs consists of nine members, no more than five of whom shall be from the same political party, appointed as follows:

and h (b) members have expertise in economics, g o t hr consumer protection, agriculture, trade, food production or g e i k nutrition.

h r i s C.

The commission shall elect a chair and may elect h , t, such officers as it deems necessary to carry out its duties.

e u g e b l e e h D.

Two absences from meetings of the commission n d d i = = o h constitutes grounds for removal of a member of the commission.

el t] 17b ,d i a º e Upon the request of the chair of the commission, the appointing wr li n= r t e w d 18m a n o authority shall replace the member who has failed to attend two =d =m 19: a l meetings of the commission.

ib e d s º o t n = .229948.3AIC March 1, 2025 (8:02pm) s k m e - 2 - e a n e d r 20e E.l u [ A d meetings of the commission.

AE. majority of the members appointed constitutes a t m m 21 a quorum for the transaction of business.

TheA support of a d r e 22 majority of the members appointed isconstitutes requireda quorum for adoptionthe transaction of cbusiness. e s k 23 any action by the commission.

eThe support of a nmajority bof 24the F.members appointed is required for adoption of any action by the commission.

F.

u [ (1) review policies and develop policy .229948.3 - 2 - proposals for reducing the cost of groceries for New Mexico's consumers;

(3) evaluate whether increased investments in supply chain infrastructure, including transportation, cold storage and aggregation, would improve the resilience and h adaptability of the state's food system and reduce grocery g o t hr costs and grocery price volatility;

g e i k (4) evaluate the sufficiency of the state's h r i s laws regarding price gouging, dynamic pricing and other price h , t, manipulations that increase grocery costs for consumers;

e u g e b l e e h (5) focus its efforts on the cost of essential n d d i = = o h household foods, including eggs, milk, fresh produce, bread, el t] 17b ,d i a º e tortillas and foods with minimal processing;

wr li n d 18 (6) consider actions that the state can take = =r 19t ae lw tod insulatem the state's consumers from the impact of any i a en ro 20(6) federalconsider tradeactions agreements and changes that wouldthe increasestate acan ttake md m 21: grocery costs for consumers;

andb d r e 22d (7)s considerº anyo othert policiesn or= trends.229948.3AIC thatMarch c1, e2025 (8:02pm) s k 23m contributee to- increased3 grocery- costse fora consumersn ande maked r e al nu b[ 24A recommendationsd to reduceinsulate the state's consumers from the impact of any federal trade agreements and changes that would increase grocery costs.costs for consumers;

uand [(7) G.consider any other policies or trends that contribute to increased grocery costs for consumers and make recommendations to reduce grocery costs.

TheG. commission shall submit a report of its .229948.3 - 3 - findings, including specific recommendations and proposed legislation, to the governor, the New Mexico legislative council and the appropriate legislative interim committee dealing with consumer protections and the economy by November 15, 2025.

The commission shall submit a report of its findings, including specific recommendations and proposed legislation, to the governor, the New Mexico legislative council and the appropriate legislative interim committee dealing with consumer protections and the economy by November 15, 2025.

Staff shall assist the commission as directed by the chair, including conducting interviews with persons that wish to express their views to the commission and h synthesizing information developed through interviews for the g o t hr commission.

The commission may request assistance from the g e i k legislative council service and the economic development h r i s department.

h , t, I.

Members of the commission are entitled to e u g e b l e e h compensation pursuant to the provisions of the Per Diem and n d d i = = o h Mileage Act and shall receive no other perquisite, compensation el t] 17b ,d i a º e or allowance for their service on the commission.

r i = r t e w ld m a n do 18HAFCº SECTION 2.

APPROPRIATION.--Four hundred thousand dollarsd = = 19 a l ($400,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the i a e r 20 economic development department for expenditure in fiscal years a t m m: 21 2025 and 2026 to support the work of the commission on d r e 22 reduction of grocery costs.