FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2025
CONTACT
press@southwestpolicy.com
505-386-1139
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI) has secured a major legal victory in its lawsuit against the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD) over violations of the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). Following a January 28, 2025 trial, Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled in favor of SPPI, affirming that TRD failed to meet its legal obligations to provide access to public records.
“This case sends a message: when public agencies fumble accountability, face outcomes.”
Patrick M. Brenner, President of the Southwest Public Policy Institute
The case centered on SPPI’s request for access to the Motor Vehicle Division’s (MVD) vehicle registration database, which SPPI intended to analyze to determine whether New Mexico’s electric vehicle (EV) mandates disproportionately impact low-income and minority residents. The Institute walked out of court-ordered mediation after TRD refused to negotiate in good faith, opting instead to take the matter to trial.
“This is a clear win for transparency and for every New Mexican who believes in the public’s right to know how government decisions are made,” said Patrick M. Brenner, President of the Southwest Public Policy Institute. “We refused to be silenced or manipulated through closed-door settlements that would have concealed the truth from taxpayers. We stood our ground and the court sided with the rule of law.”
Following the court’s ruling, SPPI and TRD finalized a settlement agreement under which TRD will pay $30,796.93 to SPPI, covering attorneys’ fees and costs incurred during litigation. The settlement, signed by Brenner on behalf of SPPI, concludes the case with the Department formally acknowledging its failure to comply with IPRA.
“This case sends a message: when public agencies fumble accountability, face outcomes,” Brenner continued. “The court affirmed what we knew all along: TRD violated the law, and transparency won. We stood firm, and now New Mexicans have one more victory for open government and fair policy.”
While the settlement concludes this specific lawsuit, SPPI continues to advocate for greater transparency and accountability from public institutions across the Southwest.
For a copy of the final settlement agreement or to schedule an interview with SPPI, please contact SPPI at 505-386-1139 or press@southwestpolicy.com.
About the Southwest Public Policy Institute
The Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI) is a nonprofit think-and-do tank dedicated to improving quality of life in the American Southwest through data-driven research, transparency, and principled policy solutions. Learn more at www.southwestpolicy.com.
