PROHIBITING NONFUNCTIONAL TURF INSTALLATION

HB0023

HOUSE BILL 23

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Kathleen Cates
and
Patricia Roybal Caballero

and
Susan K. Herrera

AN ACT

RELATING TO TURF; PROHIBITING THE INSTALLATION OF NONFUNCTIONAL
TURF ON PROPERTY MANAGED BY THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE BEGINNING IN 2028; PROHIBITING
THE USE OF WATER OTHER THAN RECYCLED OR RECLAIMED WATER TO
IRRIGATE NONFUNCTIONAL TURF ON PROPERTY MANAGED BY THE GENERAL
SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE
BEGINNING IN 2033; REQUIRING NONFUNCTIONAL TURF ON PROPERTY
MANAGED BY THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL SERVICE THAT IS REMOVED TO BE REPLACED WITH DROUGHT- OR
CLIMATE-RESILIENT LANDSCAPING BEGINNING IN 2033; PROVIDING
EXCEPTIONS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
[
NEW MATERIAL
] NONFUNCTIONAL TURF--PROHIBITIONS ON INSTALLATION AND WATER FOR IRRIGATION--EXCEPTIONS.--

A. Beginning January 1, 2028, nonfunctional turf
shall not be installed on property managed by the general
services department or the legislative council service.

B. Except as provided in Subsection C of this
section, beginning January 1, 2033:

(1) only recycled or reclaimed water shall be
used to irrigate nonfunctional turf on property managed by the
general services department or the legislative council service;
and

(2) nonfunctional turf on property managed by
the general services department or the legislative council
service that is removed shall be replaced with drought- or
climate-resilient landscaping.

C. The following are exempt from the requirements
of this section:

(1) cemeteries; and

(2) nonfunctional turf under a tree's canopy
if the general services department or the legislative council
service makes the determination that replacing the
nonfunctional turf with mulch would not be feasible or
practical.

D. The general services department shall establish
the programs and procedures necessary to implement the
provisions of this section, including a procedure for that
department to reimburse the legislative council service for
costs the legislative council service incurs in complying with
the provisions of this section.

E. As used in this section:

(1) "drought- or climate-resilient
landscaping" includes efficient irrigation systems, such as
drip, water harvesting and reuse systems and organic mulches,
that maintain a landscape of xeriscaping, trees and other
plants that, once established, require little to no
supplemental water, such as native and drought-tolerant plants;
and

(2) "nonfunctional turf" means irrigated turf
grass that has no recreational purpose, is not accessible or is
primarily decorative.

SECTION 2
. APPROPRIATION.--Three million five hundred
thousand dollars ($3,500,000) is appropriated from the general
fund to the general services department for expenditure in
fiscal year 2027 and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the
purposes of Section 1 of this act. Any unexpended balance
remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the
general fund.

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