HB77 enacts a new section of the Public Assistance Act requiring the New Mexico Health Care Authority to develop annual state outreach plans for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The authority must submit these plans to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, and seek maximum federal matching funds.
The New Mexico House of Representatives passed HB77 on February 21, 2025 by a vote of 62 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation increases state acceptance of the federal SNAP program. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to create food assistance programs. By aligning with federal SNAP requirements and relying on federal matching funds, HB77 entangles New Mexico in federal regulations and undermines state authority over public policy.
