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House committee advances bill to preserve New Mexico spay‑neuter fund paid by pet‑food registration fee

House Judiciary Committee, New Mexico House of Representatives · February 16, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The House Judiciary Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 38, which would remove a scheduled repeal and keep New Mexico's affordable spay‑neuter program funded by a $100 pet‑food registration fee; opponents argued in court the fee operates as an unlawful tax. The measure passed the committee 10‑1.

The House Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 38 on a voice and roll call after more than an hour of testimony on the program that funds spay‑and‑neuter services through fees on registered pet‑food brands.

Supporters, including veterinarians and county officials, said the program reduces shelter intake and euthanasia and provides grants to local clinics. Kenneth Brennan, an Edgewood commissioner, pointed to shelter strain and said increased spay‑and‑neuter capacity would…

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