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Committee approves commission to study grocery price increases; bill moves forward
Summary
A bill to create a nine-member commission to study rising grocery costs in New Mexico passed the committee after brief debate; the commission will report recommendations, including proposed legislation, by November.
The committee approved House Bill 17 to establish a nine-member Commission on the Reduction of Grocery Costs, sending the measure forward after a roll-call vote that the chair reported as yielding five yes votes.
Representative Andrea Little, Representative, introduced the bill and said the commission will study the food supply chain from producers to consumers and recommend steps to support local producers, improve processing and distribution, and identify statutory or regulatory changes to lower costs. "This bill will address the rising cost of groceries in New Mexico by creating a commission to identify and study the causes of grocery inflation," Little said.
Members discussed overlap with existing resources. Sen. Veronica Ridley, State Senator and agricultural economist by training, noted New Mexico State University and the Department of Agriculture already produce research on farm economics and food systems and asked what additional value a new commission would add. Representative Little said the commission would incorporate those experts and produce a single, actionable report with proposed legislation by November.
The bill designates the Economic Development Department to house the commission and anticipates input from producers, processors and the retail grocery industry. The chair called for a short roll-call after Sen. Harmillo moved to pass; the clerk recorded yes votes from Senators Bergman, Stefanik, Stewart, Jaramillo and Duhigg and no votes from Senators Brantley and Townsend. The chair announced, "With 5 in favor, you have do passed."
Why it matters: Lawmakers cited sharply rising grocery prices and the effect on fixed-income households and families. The commission is framed as a cross-agency, stakeholder-driven study intended to produce near-term policy recommendations and possible legislation ahead of the next session.
The bill moves on for further consideration; the commission, if enacted, must deliver an interim report with recommendations and proposed legislation by the November deadline specified in the bill.
