Joy Garratt is a Democratic state representative from District 29 who has represented the district since 2019 and is seeking re-election in the New Mexico House of Representatives in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1]Garratt is a former classroom teacher whose legislative work has focused on education and workforce development.[2]
Joy Garratt was born in Long Beach, California.[1]She earned a B.S. in liberal studies from Excelsior College, a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of New Mexico, and a post-baccalaureate teacher license from the university.[1]In a 2024 Ballotpedia survey, she said she taught K-12 students for more than 28 years, including in South Korea, California and Connecticut, and spent her last 12 years teaching in Albuquerque Public Schools.[2]Ballotpedia also lists work in public affairs and public relations.[1]
Garratt took office in the New Mexico House on January 1, 2019.[1]For 2025-2026 she is listed on the Appropriations and Finance, Commerce and Economic Development, House Education, and Rules and Order of Business committees, serving as vice chair of the last two.[1]She said in the 2024 survey that she has sponsored bills on apprenticeship funding, educator salaries, teacher residencies and adult-student scholarships, and that she has also worked on road infrastructure, public safety and health insurance coverage for biomarker testing.[2]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
Creates an innovation in state government fund, run by the Department of Finance and Administration, to help agencies plan for net-zero emissions and climate policy. The passed version contains no appropriation.
Adds off-site fabrication of heating, cooling, ventilation and exhaust ducts for public works projects to the project "site", extending the Public Works Minimum Wage Act to those workers.
Provides that real property owned by the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, including transmission lines leased to and operated by non-exempt entities, is exempt from property tax, starting with the 2026 tax year.
Bars New Mexico public bodies from entering, extending or renewing agreements to detain people for federal civil immigration violations or to let local officers perform federal immigration functions, and requires existing such agreements to end at the earliest permitted date.
Lets law enforcement officers file petitions for extreme risk firearm protection orders based on information gathered in their official duties, and requires a person served with such an order to give up firearms immediately.
Requires courts to seal eviction case records once an eviction case is filed, lets landlords seek unsealing at least 15 days after winning possession, requires resealing within three years, limits access to parties, court staff and authorized attorneys, and says tenants need not disclose sealed records.
As passed by the House, creates the Welcome Child and Family Wellness Leave Act: up to six weeks of paid family or medical leave within a 12-week limit per rolling 12 months, funded by employee and employer contributions, plus a $9,000 payment per child at birth or adoption.
Requests the Legislative Finance Committee to study options for extending health insurance to all public higher education educators and graduate student employees, with results requested by October 1, 2026.
Raises the maximum oil and gas royalty rate on premium state trust land in the Permian Basin from one-fifth to one-fourth of production value for leases issued on or after July 1, 2025.
Requires electric utilities to file distribution system plans and beneficial electrification plans with the Public Regulation Commission, and lets them recover related costs; the committee amendment removes the proposed virtual power plant program.
As passed by the House, bans chemical, mechanical and prone restraint in public schools, limits seclusion to supervised confinement during imminent serious harm, allows physical restraint only when a student endangers self or others and lesser steps fail, and requires staff training and approved behavior plans.
Requests the Legislative Finance Committee to study options for extending health insurance to all public higher education educators and graduate student employees, with results requested by October 1, 2026.
Changes the Graduate Scholarship Act to require New Mexico residency and a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA, prioritize students from groups underrepresented in graduate education, drop citizenship requirements, and cap awards at the full cost of tuition and fees instead of $7,200 a year.
As passed by the House, adds source of income, including wages, Social Security and housing vouchers, as a protected category in the Human Rights Act, treats screening that omits some income sources as discrimination, and sends public and housing accommodation complaints to the Attorney General.
Bars local zoning rules, fees and taxes that treat child care homes differently from private residences, allows licensed child care centers by right in commercial, mixed-use and multifamily zones, and limits homeowner association rules and fees that apply only to child care homes.
Caps rental screening fees at $50, requires listings to disclose rent and fees in plain language, cuts the maximum late fee from 10 to 5 percent of rent, and requires 60 days' notice of fee increases.
Adds sex, gender identity, immigration status and national origin to the Motor Vehicle Code's definition of personal information, making them confidential.
Lets bicyclists treat red lights as stop signs and stop signs as yield signs: proceed through a red light after stopping if safe, and pass a stop sign without stopping if no one is approaching. Takes effect July 1, 2025.
Sets rules for automated license plate readers, barring sharing of data a user reasonably believes may be used for immigration enforcement or to investigate or prosecute protected health care activity, requiring use reporting, and allowing civil enforcement by the attorney general and district attorneys.
Adds sex, gender identity, immigration status and national origin to the Motor Vehicle Code's definition of personal information, making them confidential.
Bars state agency employees from disclosing sensitive personal information to outsiders except in listed cases, and bars Taxation and Revenue Department and Traffic Safety Bureau employees from disclosing driver and vehicle records to enforce the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, except its felony provisions.
Sets rules for automated license plate readers, barring sharing of data a user reasonably believes may be used for immigration enforcement or to investigate or prosecute protected health care activity, requiring use reporting, and allowing civil enforcement by the attorney general and district attorneys.
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
SB 100 · NM HOUSE
Burglary Definition of Dwelling
YesVOTED
Motion: FINAL PASSAGE
Defines "structure" for burglary and aggravated burglary as a protected space enclosed enough to confine people or property and carrying an expectation of privacy, which may include a partially enclosed extension of a dwelling.
Appropriates about $11.9 million in FY27 to local governments, including Torrance County and Estancia, for revenue lost under the law barring local governments' new contracts with private immigration detention facilities, plus $9.7 million (FY26) and $24 million (FY27) to state agencies.
Requests the Legislative Finance Committee to study options for extending health insurance to all public higher education educators and graduate student employees, with results requested by October 1, 2026.
Invites state agencies, including Game and Fish, the State Land Office and Agriculture, to join an insect identification and education workshop run by UNM's Wild Friends Program and the Xerces Society, and share insect education materials.
Decouples corporate income tax from three 2025 federal provisions from 2027, creates credits for local news organizations, local news printers and physicians, adds a gross receipts deduction for affordable multifamily housing construction, extends the high-wage jobs credit, and funds a 1 percent pay raise.
Authorizes the State Fairgrounds District to issue revenue bonds with up to $92 million in net proceeds, repaid from state gross receipts and gaming tax revenue attributable to economic activity within the district.
Bars prior authorization and step therapy for drugs treating serious mental illness, bars repeat prior authorization for chronic maintenance drugs for three years, deems drug requests approved if not decided within three business days, and covers certain pharmacy benefit managers, starting Jan. 1, 2027.
Requires approved driver's education courses, starting Jan. 1, 2027, to include at least three hours on driving around vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, roadside workers, people riding or leading animals and riders of less-protected vehicles, with the Transportation Department setting standards.
Proposes a constitutional amendment to remove the requirement that school elections be held at different times from partisan elections, for voters to decide.