What if New Mexico became a national leader in accessibility? With New Mexico’s HB 120, known as the Accessibility Act, recently passed by both legislative chambers and now awaiting the Governor’s signature, we’re closer than ever to making that vision real.
I found myself thinking about this possibility while reading Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Their central argument—that we should replace scarcity thinking with systems designed for more—offers a perfect framework for understanding why HB 120 matters so much. This isn’t just about compliance or accommodation. It’s about reimagining what’s possible when we build for everyone from the start.
The Accessibility Act could serve as the catalyst for this transformation.
HB 120: A Comprehensive Statewide Roadmap for Access
The Accessibility Act sets forth ambitious goals:
- Digital Access: By 2026, every state website and app must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. This ensures that if you’re blind, deaf, or have difficulty using a mouse, you won’t face unnecessary barriers when trying to access essential services online.
- Physical Access: Every state building will be equipped with proper ramps, elevators, and legible signage—no more falling back on excuses about “historic structures” or “budget constraints.”
- Leadership & Accountability: A new Office of Accessibility will supervise implementation, train staff, and ensure agencies meet compliance standards.
- Continuous Improvement: Regular evaluations will determine what’s working, what needs adjustment, and how we maintain momentum.
This isn’t about waiting for lawsuits to force minimal compliance. It’s about New Mexico declaring, “We’re building it right from the start.” Tens of thousands of residents who have been sidelined could finally participate fully in public life.
Smart Economics, Not Just Ethics
HB 120 represents both ethical and fiscal responsibility. Building accessibility from the ground up eliminates the need for costly retrofitting. The Web Accessibility Initiative consistently demonstrates that creating accessible websites costs little extra when done from the outset and often yields long-term benefits.
The same principle applies to physical infrastructure. Adding a ramp during initial construction costs a fraction of what it takes to retrofit an existing entrance. And the Office of Accessibility created by this legislation? It’s not bureaucratic bloat—it’s a strategic investment that prevents duplicated efforts across agencies.
What’s remarkable is how these improvements benefit everyone. Have you ever navigated a stroller over a curb cut on a dusty sidewalk in New Mexico? Or maneuvered luggage through the airport? Those accessibility features serve all of us. Similarly, video captions aren’t just for the deaf community; they’re invaluable when you’re in a noisy restaurant or don’t want to disturb others.
Creating In-House Expertise: The Abundance Approach
The establishment of a dedicated Office of Accessibility embodies the core principles of Abundance. Klein and Thompson argue that actual progress comes when we break free from outdated systems that create artificial scarcity. This office achieves this by centralizing expertise in-house, rather than relying on a patchwork of costly external vendors.
Currently, state agencies often hire outside consultants for accessibility work—consultants who arrive, complete short-term projects, and leave, taking their expertise with them. Meanwhile, the state pays premium rates repeatedly for similar services across different departments. This cycle creates a scarcity of knowledge and unnecessarily drives up costs.
HB 120 breaks this cycle by creating a permanent center of excellence within state government. This approach substantially reduces costs by eliminating redundant vendor contracts across different agencies, thereby tackling similar accessibility challenges. It creates economies of scale through standardized solutions that can be implemented across the state. Perhaps most importantly, it builds institutional knowledge that remains in New Mexico, rather than incurring repeated costs to import expertise that disappears when the contract ends.
The centralized office also provides a streamlined reporting system for accessibility issues, reducing bottlenecks and accelerating resolution. By establishing uniform standards across all state entities, compliance becomes more straightforward and more consistent, further lowering costs and improving outcomes. This “one-stop shop” for accessibility expertise aligns perfectly with the abundance mindset—it transforms accessibility from a scarce, expensive resource into a shared public good that benefits all New Mexicans.
Empowering Action Through Clear Standards
HB 120 embraces another key principle from Abundance: enabling innovation through clear standards and streamlined processes. By creating standardized evaluation tools and comprehensive training programs, the Office of Accessibility will equip state employees with the knowledge and authority to implement effective accessibility solutions with confidence.
This “clarity-first” approach—where staff have well-defined guidelines and resources—accelerates progress dramatically. The bill specifically tasks the Office with creating “a standard form or process that each state agency can use to determine whether the state agency’s website, mobile application and physical facilities are in compliance.” This clarity empowers agencies to act decisively and creatively, knowing exactly what success looks like.
Klein and Thompson emphasize throughout their book that progress often stalls not because of technical limitations but because we lack clear pathways to implementation. HB 120 addresses this challenge by establishing consistent standards and providing the tools needed to meet them. This allows state employees to focus their energy on creating solutions rather than navigating uncertainty.
Breaking Free from Institutional Capture
For too long, accessibility expertise has been treated as a specialized, external resource—available only to those who can afford expensive consultants. This arrangement has created what Abundance calls “institutional capture,” where a small group of providers controls access to essential knowledge.
HB 120 dismantles this dynamic by democratizing accessibility knowledge across state government. The bill specifically requires the Office to “provide information and training to state agencies and employees on the digital and physical accessibility standards.” By making this expertise widely available rather than narrowly controlled, New Mexico is taking a direct shot at the artificial scarcity of accessibility knowledge.
This approach reflects Klein and Thompson’s insight that abundance often requires breaking up systems that concentrate resources in the hands of a few. By making accessibility expertise a common resource rather than a restricted commodity, HB 120 ensures that all agencies—regardless of their budget or political clout—can create accessible services.
Full Participation: The Heart of Inclusive Democracy
Supporting this legislation transcends legal compliance; it affirms a fundamental truth: a genuine democracy actively removes obstacles for all citizens. This represents New Mexico’s opportunity to build something better—a place that transforms talk about fairness into concrete action, brick by brick, system by system. An abundant future maximizes participation rather than rationing it.
Leading by Example
HB 120 establishes New Mexico as a true pioneer with legislation that comprehensively addresses digital, physical, and program access in one unified package. Other states have made progress in specific areas: California’s Government Code Section 11546.7 (AB 434), New York’s Accessibility Policy, Colorado’s House Bill 21-1110, and Texas’ Administrative Code Chapters 206 and 213. HB 120 takes a more holistic approach by integrating all aspects of accessibility, creating an opportunity to demonstrate genuine leadership in inclusive governance once signed into law.
Let’s urge the Governor to sign this landmark legislation. For more information on accessibility initiatives in New Mexico, visit the New Mexico Commission for the Blind and the Governor’s Commission on Disability.