N.M. Legislature Passes Telecom Bills

New Mexico lawmakers passed multiple telecom bills Thursday. The House voted 49-4 to pass SB-41, previously passed by the Senate, to require ILECs with at least 50,000 customers to be regulated the same as rural ILECs under New Mexico’s Rural Telecommunications Act. Also, the House voted 53-0 for the Senate-passed SB-155 that would freeze annual reduction support payments for eligible ILECs at 2023 rates through 2026 and then end the payments. The Senate voted 40-0 for the House-passed HB-160 to allow the state transportation commission to waive right-of-way fees for installing infrastructure in unserved or underserved areas. And the Senate voted 31-5 for the House-passed HB-170 to clarify that illegal cramming includes only unauthorized charges for non-telecom services. The House unanimously supported the Senate’s cramming bill earlier that week (see 2303150029). Also Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee urged “do pass” on a bill (SB-452) that would authorize the state to lease or sell broadband infrastructure.