The New Mexico Veterans and Military Families Caucus is proud to share how we’ve shown up at the Roundhouse this year to fight for veterans, service members, and their families across our state. We’ve focused on legislation that modernizes how New Mexico governs, strengthens financial footing for veterans, and improves access to care where veterans actually live and seek services.

New Mexico Veterans and Military Families Caucus Raises Veteran Voices at the Roundhouse

The New Mexico Veterans and Military Families Caucus (VMFC) has been actively engaged throughout the 2026 Regular Session, speaking up for legislation that reflects the real‑life needs of those who served and the families who stand behind them. From fair pay for lawmakers who craft veteran policy, to tax relief and property protections that keep veterans housed and financially stable, the Caucus has made it clear that veteran and military families must be at the center of policy decisions in New Mexico.

Legislation We Stood Behind

HJR 5 – Legislative Compensation Constitutional Amendment

HJR 5 asks voters to approve a constitutional amendment establishing salaries for New Mexico legislators, replacing the current unpaid model. The measure ties lawmakers’ pay to a share of the state’s median household income and will appear on the 2026 general election ballot. By supporting HJR 5, the Caucus backed a modernized, more professional Legislature—one that can better attract working‑class New Mexicans, caregivers, and veterans themselves, and devote the time needed to tackle complex issues like veterans’ health care, housing, benefits, and base impacts.

SB 1 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Act

SB 1 brings New Mexico into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, giving physicians licensed in other compact states a streamlined path to practice here. This change is especially important for rural and frontier communities, where veterans often face long waits for appointments or must travel hours to see a specialist. By supporting SB 1, the Caucus helped advance a structural solution that can expand the pool of doctors available to serve veterans and military families, including those receiving care through VA partnerships and community providers.

HB 50 – Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact

HB 50 enacts the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, simplifying the process for licensed social workers from other compact states to obtain New Mexico licensure. Social workers are on the front lines of PTSD, military sexual trauma, family stress, homelessness, and navigation of complex systems. By standing behind HB 50, the Caucus championed a practical way to get more trauma‑informed, veteran‑literate social workers into New Mexico communities—especially in rural areas where help has been hardest to find.

Veteran Tax Relief and Property Protections

The Caucus also supported legislation to ease the financial burden on veterans and their families. Retirement‑pay tax relief bills help ensure that more of a veteran’s military pension stays in their pocket, making New Mexico a more welcoming place to build a post‑service life. Property‑tax measures aimed at disabled veterans and surviving spouses help protect long‑time homeowners from being taxed out of their homes and bring more clarity and consistency to how exemptions are applied at the local level. Together, these changes support stability for those who have already given so much.

How We’ve Made a Difference

Throughout the session, the Caucus has been present in hearings, submitting letters, offering testimony, and talking directly with legislators about how these bills play out in the daily lives of veterans and military families. We’ve reminded lawmakers that behind every bill number there is a spouse trying to keep the family together through deployments and reintegration, a grandparent veteran raising grandchildren, or a service member quietly struggling with trauma while still trying to be a good parent.

By backing measures like SB 1 and HB 50, we’ve helped push the conversation toward practical workforce solutions that get more doctors, social workers, and behavioral‑health professionals into New Mexico quickly, instead of leaving families stuck on waitlists. By supporting HJR 5, we joined good‑government advocates in insisting that if we expect strong policy for veterans, we must also invest in a Legislature with the time, stability, and diversity of experience to do that work well. And by standing behind targeted tax and property bills, we made sure that veteran financial stability and housing security remained part of the broader fiscal conversation.

Just as important, the Caucus has encouraged veterans and their family members to tell their stories—through testimony, emails, phone calls, and events like Military and Veterans Day at the Roundhouse—so legislators hear directly from those living with the consequences of policy decisions.

Our Ongoing Commitment

Looking ahead, the New Mexico Veterans’ Military and Family Caucus will keep showing up at the Capitol, monitoring bills, and working with partners to make sure veterans and military families are never an afterthought in state policy. We will continue to support legislation that improves safety, expands access to care, modernizes our institutions, and strengthens families in every corner of New Mexico.

What You Can Do

Looking forward, we are always in search of those who wish to continue to support our mission.  If you would like to support us as we move forward, let us know.  You can email us or go to our website to learn more.  We can always use more help and know that you are appreciated!