Here’s what local chambers of commerce are focusing on during 60-day session

Removing tax burdens. Combating crime.

Those are just a couple of policy priorities from the state’s largest and most well-known chambers of commerce during the 60-day session.

The Journal asked the heads of the three chambers — the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce and the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce — what they’re focusing on this session. Here are their responses:

Terri Cole, president and CEO, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce

Despite the state’s impressive revenue picture, New Mexico’s economic growth — outside of the oil and gas industry — is tepid, our population is not growing and participation in the labor force lags most other states. Soaring energy revenues will not last forever, leaving New Mexico with an extraordinary opportunity — while the state remains flush with cash — to build a more dynamic and competitive economy that is sustainable for the long haul.

To that end, the Chamber’s primary goal for the 2025 session is to encourage lawmakers to position our state to better compete for new businesses, workers, residents and visitors. Competition is a choice, and in New Mexico’s case, it will require leaders to prioritize and address a set of serious challenges that currently put our state at a competitive disadvantage. Specifically, the Chamber will work to:

Make New Mexico a safer place. Our well-earned, high-crime reputation makes our state a less welcoming place for businesses to locate and deters people from choosing to live and work here. Too many talented workers leave the state, and existing businesses struggle to recruit people to New Mexico to fill their workforce needs. … The Chamber supports increasing penalties for the illegal possession and use of firearms, closing the revolving door that so easily lets violent teenagers and dangerous people battling mental health disorders back onto the streets, adding to the ranks of our police and prosecutors and investing in the wider use of crime-fighting technology.

Reducing the tax burden on businesses and families. New Mexico’s tax structure provides little incentive for people to either live here or start a business. Neighboring states either charge lower corporate income taxes, impose lower taxes on small businesses or charge no residential income tax at all. This session, the Chamber will vigorously oppose the imposition of any new taxes on businesses or families — including the proposed new tax to establish the family/medical leave mandate — and will specifically seek a reduction in the state’s high gross receipts tax rate, as well as the reduction of tax pyramiding that puts New Mexico small businesses at a direct competitive disadvantage with businesses in other states.

Make New Mexico a more attractive place to practice medicine and add to our health care workforce. It’s not really health care if it’s hard to find a doctor and medical appointments take months to schedule. New Mexico’s dire shortage of health care workers — from primary care doctors to specialists to nurses of all types — threatens our economic future in a big way. … The Chamber supports a package of proposals to make New Mexico competitive and attractive for health care workers — including eliminating the GRT on medical appointments, streamlining credentialing, joining interstate health care compacts to make it easier to move to New Mexico and practice medicine, raising Medicaid reimbursement rates and overhauling a medical malpractice system that is uncommonly punitive toward doctors and sending our health care workers to other states.

New Mexico is already a beautiful place, rich in diversity, culture, history, weather and natural resources. We envision a state with increasingly safer streets, stronger schools, lower taxes and improved access to health care; such a state would be a powerhouse economically and one of the very best places to start a business, work, live and visit. May that be our North Star this session.

Leslie Hielema, incoming president and CEO, New Mexico Chamber of Commerce

The New Mexico Chamber of Commerce remains committed to championing legislative priorities that drive economic growth, foster innovation and create opportunities for businesses of all sizes. As the voice of New Mexico's business community, our focus is on policies that reduce unnecessary burdens, promote fairness, and ensure a vibrant economic climate for all.

A top priority is eliminating undue burdens on businesses. Regulatory processes that are outdated, inconsistent or overly complex hinder entrepreneurship and slow down economic progress. We advocate for reforms that streamline regulations, provide clear guidelines and reduce unnecessary compliance costs without compromising safety, environmental standards or workforce wellbeing.

Another cornerstone of our legislative agenda is ensuring a fair and equitable tax code. A competitive tax structure is essential to attracting and retaining businesses, encouraging investment and supporting job creation. We support tax policies that reward innovation, reduce complexity and provide certainty for businesses planning long-term growth in New Mexico. Our goal is to make the state a more attractive destination for employers while ensuring the tax system treats all businesses equitably.

Finally, we emphasize the importance of a collaborative, bipartisan approach to policymaking. Addressing New Mexico's challenges requires input from diverse stakeholders across industries and political affiliations. We remain dedicated to fostering dialogue, identifying shared goals and driving solutions that benefit the entire state.

The Chamber is committed to ensuring New Mexico remains a place where businesses thrive, communities prosper and opportunities abound.

Ernie C’deBaca, president and CEO, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce

As the primary voice for Hispanic business in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber seeks to ensure the diverse interests of its members are represented Legislature.

The Chamber supports initiatives that promote business friendly policies and positive public safety measures while opposing initiatives that negatively affect our economy through burdensome regulatory requirements and mandates.

Public safety: Supporting initiatives and funding measures that reduce crime.

• Increased funding for law enforcement, courts, jails and other criminal justice partners.

• Tougher penalties for violent crimes and certain property crimes.

• Increased access to behavioral health resources and facilities.

• Expanded access to affordable housing options.

• Formation of effective solutions that will reduce homelessness and vagrancy.

Health care: Supporting access to quality health care services that are critical to diversifying and growing our economy.

• Support measures and funding initiatives that will improve access to quality health care and help recruit and retain doctors, nurses and health care providers while we invest in programs that will grow that workforce locally.

• Support changes to the state’s Medical Malpractice Act to ensure provisions that increase insurance costs and drive doctors out of the state are reformed.

• Oppose policies that negatively impact access to health care services.

Energy: Supporting sound energy and environmental policy that promotes clean and efficient development and delivery of energy.

• Development of a water program that reduces our reliance on fresh water resources and expands industrialized treated reuse opportunities.

• Proper regulatory requirements that promote the responsible development of our state's energy resources.

• Development of advanced energy resources and technologies to ensure energy reliability.

Business: Supporting initiatives and policies that promote responsible development and growth, while opposing policy that impose burdensome mandates and regulatory requirements on businesses, like:

• Unreasonable paid family and medical leave mandates.

• Minimum wage mandates.

• Unreasonable regulation of innovative technologies.

• Mandates that increase operational costs and regulatory burden.