Secretary Jameson Herrera, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, told the Military & Veterans Affairs Committee on June 4 that the department has been carrying out recently passed state benefits, including property and pension tax exemptions and a lifetime day-camping pass for veterans.

"We appreciate all the assistance we got last year in getting those, 1, on the ballot and 2, that they were, approved and with, house bill 47 being pushed through," Herrera said, summarizing the department's outreach and early results.

Why it matters: The department said the exemptions and incentives are already influencing some veterans’ decisions to return to New Mexico and that the agency is working with county assessors to make sure the new benefits are applied consistently beginning in fiscal year 2026.

Herrera told the committee the department has conducted more than 25 outreach events about the tax incentives and that "we have done in in excess of 25, outreach events on these tax incentives, and we have them planned through the rest of the of of this fiscal year and into next year to ensure that veterans are receiving their their, benefit." He added that "we've had many new veterans apply for the 10,000, the veteran tax exemption of 10,000," and that assessors are holding percentage-based exemption applications to take effect in FY26.

On outdoor access, Herrera said the department is ready to implement House Bill 161, which creates a lifetime day-camping pass for eligible veterans. "We are ready to roll that out. Next week, there will be a a hearing for the final rulemaking on how we're executing that, and, that's gonna be rolled out on January," Herrera said. He estimated the department already has "probably a 125, a 140 applications on hand ready to be shipped once we get the passes in." Herrera also said the state intends to waive campsite utilities fees for veterans and that the only fee would be charged if a veteran uses a third-party reservation system.

The presentation did not include a detailed enumeration of county-by-county application totals or an accounting of how many veterans will be eligible under the percentage-based exemptions in FY26. Committee members asked questions about outreach and practical application; Herrera said the department has been "working very closely with the all the county assessors and the affiliates to ensure that we're moving forward in a positive direction to ensure that, there's clear, concise, and consistent guidance out to our veterans."

Ending: The department said outreach will continue through the fiscal year and into next year to support uptake. Committee members signaled interest in tracking how the exemptions and passes are processed by county assessors and in monitoring whether the benefits affect veterans’ decisions to move to or remain in New Mexico.