SANTA FE, NM - Tourism Secretary Jen Paul Schroer issued the following statement in response to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signing Senate Bill 345 into law:

"The New Mexico Tourism Department commends the Legislature and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for the passage of Senate Bill 345, which will provide a long-overdue update to New Mexico's antiquated per diem model.

This legislation will align New Mexico with a federal model and enables the state to employ best practices that reflect market realities and actual expenses.

Not only will this legislation support economic recovery for tourism, it equips the state with a flexible per diem framework capable of adapting to future market forces."

Prior to Senate Bill 345, the standard per diem rates were set by the Legislature and have not changed since 2003. Because of this, per diem rates often did not align with actual costs of travel. The updated per diem model created through Senate bill 345 will also better align rates with actual costs in local markets within New Mexico, which can vary throughout the state.