New Mexico 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 4 D cosponsors

HB 256 — DEFIBRILLATORS AT SCHOOL ATHLETIC EVENTS

Last action — Signed

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democratic) on March 11, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 58% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    4 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 D).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

79 added · 101 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments made to HB 256 ensure that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) must be available at all school athletic activities. This change highlights the importance of having immediate access to life-saving equipment for anyone who may suffer a cardiac emergency during sports. By mandating the presence of AEDs, the bill aims to enhance the safety of students and improve response times in emergencies. This proactive measure could potentially save lives and provide peace of mind for students, parents, and school staff.

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HOUSE BILL 256 57TH LEGISLATURE- STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2026 INTRODUCED BY Pamelya Herndon and Yanira Gurrola and D.
AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL SAFETY;
Wonda Johnson and Patricia Roybal Caballero 7 9 AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL SAFETY;
15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 22-33-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2025, e t 17 Chapter 129, Section 3) is amended to read:
Section 22-33-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2025, Chapter 129, Section 3) is amended to read:
w l n d 18 "22-33-6.
"22-33-6.
CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN--AUTOMATED = = 19 a l EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR.-- i a e r 20 A.
CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN--AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR.-- A.
Each school shall develop and implement a a t m m 21 cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate d r e 22 use of school personnel who are to respond to incidents c e s k 23 involving a person experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest or a e a n b 24 similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds or u [ during a school athletic activity.
Each school shall develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate use of school personnel who are to respond to incidents involving a person experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds or during a school athletic activity.
Each cardiac emergency .233332.1 response plan shall:
Each cardiac emergency response plan shall:
(3) establish protocols for school personnel identified by the cardiac emergency response plan to follow when a person experiences a sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency;
(3) establish protocols for school personnel identified by the cardiac emergency response plan to follow when a person experiences a sudden cardiac arrest or a HB 256 Page 1 similar life-threatening emergency;
(4) determine [an] appropriate [location] locations for [an] automated external [defibrillator] defibrillators to be installed or made available;
(4) determine appropriate locations for automated external defibrillators to be installed or made available;
and (6) be updated when necessary to be consistent e t 17 with evidence-based guidelines.
and (6) be updated when necessary to be consistent with evidence-based guidelines.
w l n d 18 B.
B.
Every school in the state shall install an = = 19 a l automated external defibrillator.
Every school in the state shall install an automated external defibrillator.
Installed automated external i a e r 20 defibrillators shall be maintained and tested according to the a t m m 21 manufacturer's operational guidelines.
Installed automated external defibrillators shall be maintained and tested according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines.
d r e 22 C.
C.
An automated external defibrillator shall be c e s k 23 clearly marked and easily accessible during each school e a n b 24 athletic activity.
An automated external defibrillator shall be clearly marked and easily accessible during each school athletic activity.
u [ [C.
D.
No later than January 1, 2026] D.
The department shall adopt and promulgate rules for the training of school employees on the use of automated external defibrillators in a manner consistent with standards adopted by the American heart association.
The .233332.1 - 2 - department shall adopt and promulgate rules for the training of school employees on the use of automated external defibrillators in a manner consistent with standards adopted by the American heart association.
E.
[D.] E.
and (2) elementary schools, middle schools, charter schools and private schools no later than the 2027-2028 school year.
and (2) elementary schools, middle schools, charter schools and private schools no later than the 2027- HB 256 Page 2 2028 school year.
As used in this section, "school athletic activity" means a sport or activity organized by a school or school district that involves a physical game or competition against another team, club or entity or practice or preparation for the physical game or competition." e t 17 - 3 - w l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .233332.1
As used in this section, "school athletic activity" means a sport or activity organized by a school or school district that involves a physical game or competition against another team, club or entity or practice or preparation for the physical game or competition." HB 256 Page 3 8 25
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Action History

  1. Signed

  2. passed Senate

  3. DO PASS committee report adopted

  4. Sent to Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee

  5. passed House

  6. DO PASS committee report adopted

  7. DO PASS committee report adopted

  8. Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Education Committee

  9. withdrawn printed germane prefile

  10. not printed House Rules and Order of Business Committee

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 108 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (108)

108 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 108 →

"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 healthcare education
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 HB 256?
HB 256 is sponsored by D. Wonda Johnson (Democrat), Yanira Gurrola (Democrat), Pamelya Herndon (Democrat), and Patricia Roybal Caballero (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 256?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 256?
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