Liquor license fee legislation passes House

SANTA FE — Legislation that would waive renewal fees for liquor licenses over the next year won approval without opposition in the House on Thursday, putting the bill on the brink of final passage.

The proposal, Senate Bill 2, already made it through the Senate, but a House committee revised the proposal, so it will have to go back to the Senate for approval of the House amendment.

Nonetheless, the bill quickly passed the House on a 64-0 vote Wednesday with no debate.

The waiver of fees would apply to all liquor license holders, not just those who had a 50% drop in gross receipts in 2020, as in an earlier version.

It's expected to cost the state about $3.4 million to $3.8 million in revenue if signed into law.

The proposal is one of several measures aimed at helping New Mexico restaurants and bars recover from the pandemic.