New Mexico 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 R cosponsors

SB 256 — UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WITH AIRCRAFT

Last action — action postponed indefinitely

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 04, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 16% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

7 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill creates a fourth degree felony for unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft, establishes penalties, and specifically includes directing a laser at an aircraft as unlawful interference.

  • Section 64-1-22 NMSA 1978

    Any → A.

    This change clarifies that unlawful interference with aircraft operation is committed by any person.

  • Section 64-1-22 NMSA 1978

    shall be guilty of → is guilty of

    This change strengthens the legal language defining the crime.

  • Section 64-1-22 NMSA 1978

    Whoever commits unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft → Whoever commits unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft is guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.

    This addition establishes a clear penalty classification for unlawful interference with aircraft.

  • Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978

    fourth degree felony → fourth degree felony for unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft

    This specifies that unlawful interference with aircraft is classified as a fourth degree felony.

  • Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978

    fourth degree felony eighteen months imprisonment. → fourth degree felony for unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft five years imprisonment.

    This change establishes a specific imprisonment term for the new felony.

  • Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978

    (11) for a third or fourth degree felony, five thousand dollars ($5,000); → (11) for a third or fourth degree felony, five thousand dollars ($5,000); (12) for a fourth degree felony for sexual exploitation of children, five thousand dollars ($5,000); or (13) for a fourth degree felony for unlawful interference with the flight and operation of an aircraft, two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000).

    This change introduces a new penalty amount for fines related to unlawful interference with aircraft.

  • Section 64-1-23 NMSA 1978

    Section 64-1-23 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1965, Chapter 34, Section 3)

    This repeal removes an existing law that is likely rendered obsolete by the new provisions.

Action History

  1. action postponed indefinitely

  2. Sent to Senate Committees' Committee & Senate Judiciary Committee & Senate Finance Committee

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 111 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (111)

111 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety transportation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 256?
SB 256 is sponsored by Jay C. Block (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 256?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 04, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 256?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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