Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Acequia Infrastructure Fund topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to create land‑grant and acequia infrastructure fund with amendments delaying distributions
Summary
The committee recommended a due pass for Senate Bill 374, which would establish a land‑grant and acequia infrastructure fund using severance tax bond capacity; amended language delays initial disbursements five years, moves distribution timing to Aug. 1, and restores a larger allocation to tribal infrastructure bonding capacity.
The Senate Indian Rural Cultural Affairs Committee voted to recommend a due pass for Senate Bill 374, a bill that would create a dedicated funding stream for land grant and acequia infrastructure projects by using a portion of the state's severance tax bonding capacity and by directing program administration through existing entities.
Sponsor testimony described the bill as intended to provide recurring, programmatic funding for community ditch and acequia infrastructure statewide. The bill would allocate a percentage of estimated severance tax bonding capacity to a Land Grant Infrastructure Fund and an Acequia Infrastructure Fund; testimony estimated each 1.1% allocation would equal roughly $19,000,000. The sponsor said the bill also establishes the New Mexico Land Grant Council and the acequia bureau process for vetting and prioritizing project lists.
The committee considered and adopted multiple amendments. Sponsor and staff explained the principal changes: delay disbursements from the trust fund for five years so the State Investment Council (SIC) can examine the five‑year balance; change the annual distribution date to Aug. 1 to match SIC reconciliation timelines; and restore certain bonding allocations to 6.5% (the amendment was presented by Senator Benny Shendo and described as returning a prior bonding percentage reduced during the 2015‑16 downturn).
Witnesses representing acequia and land‑grant communities and affiliated organizations described unmet needs for projects ranging from community drinking‑water systems to dam repairs, multipurpose community centers, and equipment purchases. Testimony from a bill expert cited data including: more than 700 acequias across 23 counties, an unfunded capital outlay total of $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, an ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan) request for FY26 with a 5% match figure presented as $21,000,000, and prior acequia bureau administered funds of $6,000,000 and $5,800,000 in recent years with only $2,500,000 in recurring funding—leaving an annual gap described as roughly $4,000,000 that has been met with special appropriations.
Several municipal and tribal representatives, Farm to Table / New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy Council, the New Mexico State Land Office and the New Mexico Acequia Association testified in support. Testimony emphasized that consistent, recurring funding and programmatic administration would help complete projects efficiently and reduce repeated capital‑outlay requests.
Senator Solis moved the due‑pass motion; Senator Maestas seconded. The roll call recorded: Senator Maestas — yes; Senator Sanchez — yes; Senator Soles — yes; Senator Pinto — yes. The clerk recorded "4 yeses and 1 excused." The committee reported the bill as amended with a recommendation to pass.
Committee members asked about access to capital for smaller entities with audit or administrative limitations; Senator Sanchez suggested future work on assistance to help small land grants and acequias meet audit requirements so they can access funds.
