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Committee advances bill to create Local Solar Access Fund, prioritizes rural projects
Summary
The committee approved an amendment and recommended passage of House Bill 128 to create a Local Solar Access Fund at the New Mexico Finance Authority; members emphasized rural prioritization, resiliency and training needs.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Friday adopted an amendment and voted to advance House Bill 128, which would create a Local Solar Access Fund at the New Mexico Finance Authority and provide grants to local governments for solar energy systems and storage on public buildings.
Nut graf: Supporters and committee members emphasized that the program is intended to prioritize rural eligible entities and to improve resiliency for emergency services, such as fire stations, and public facilities. The amended bill removes the appropriation language and sets the program structure at statute, while funding was placed in the budget process (HB2).
Details and testimony: Representative Luhan, the bill sponsor in committee, said the fund would provide grants for planning, design, construction, purchase and installation of solar energy systems and storage for public buildings. "This amendment ... include[s] a prioritization for solar energy systems that include energy storage," the sponsor explained during amendment discussion.
Randy Sadwick, president of Positive Energy, said systems are typically "behind the meter" and sized to offset local loads; he described battery storage as important for shifting daytime production to evening and for resiliency at emergency facilities. Steve Jenison, chief of the Dixon Volunteer Fire Department, said the department has used its solar and battery system twice during emergencies and "stand[s] in strong support of this bill." JD Bullington, a registered lobbyist for the City of Santa Fe and others, and Alyssa Kenny Guyer of Healthy Climate New Mexico also spoke in support.
Committee action: The committee adopted the HAFC amendment (231162.3) to prioritize systems paired with storage and to strike an appropriation. Representative Luhan moved that the bill, as amended, do pass; the clerk recorded 12 votes in the affirmative and 3 in the negative and the committee reported the bill as do pass as amended.
Ending: Members requested follow‑up on net‑metering implications and flagged the broader policy debate about how net metering affects rate design and utility cost recovery.
