Legislation introduced in the New Mexico Senate proposes a $5 fee for each customer visiting a strip club in the state, with the revenue earmarked for prosecuting sex crimes. This development comes as Texas lawmakers continue to explore the possibility of annexing several New Mexico counties.

Proposed Strip Club Fee in New Mexico

Senator John Grubesic, a Democrat from Santa Fe, is sponsoring a measure that would implement a $5 fee for every customer entering a strip club in New Mexico. The funds generated from this fee would be allocated to assist in the prosecution of sex crimes within the state. If approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Richardson, the fee would take effect on January 1 of next year.

"NewMexit" and Texas Annexation Efforts

The proposed strip club fee emerges amidst ongoing discussions and legislative efforts concerning the potential secession of New Mexico counties to Texas, a movement dubbed "NewMexit." Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows released an overview of committee priorities for 2027 last week, which included the consideration of absorbing New Mexico counties that express a desire to secede. Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock, directed a new governmental oversight committee to study the secession of New Mexico counties to Texas. The Governmental Oversight Committee, created by Burrows, has been assigned to examine the Texas-New Mexico border and consider the implications of absorbing New Mexican counties attempting to break away, as reported by Fox 4.

Earlier this year, New Mexico State Representatives Randall Pettigrew and Jimmy Mason introduced a measure that aimed to amend the state's constitution to establish a mechanism for counties to secede. This proposal did not advance to a hearing. The "New MeX-it" plan garnered attention from Burrows, who supported the idea of Lea County seceding, stating on X that it could return "back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs."

The secession movement is led by New Mexico Republicans. New Mexico Republican state lawmakers have previously explored the idea of allowing counties to secede from the state to either join another state or form a new state within the United States. In 2021, former New Mexico Republican state Senator Cliff R. Pirtle of Chaves, Eddy, and Otero counties introduced Senate Joint Resolution 15, which ultimately died in committee. On January 26, 2026, New Mexico Republican state Reps. Randall Pettigrew of Lea County and Jimmy Mason of Chaves, Eddy, and Lea counties introduced House Joint Resolution 10, a similar version of Pirtle's 2021 resolution, to revive the secession path for the state's counties.

New Mexico's Response to Annexation

A spokesperson for New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham's office informed Fox 4 that Texas is free to conduct any studies it wishes, but New Mexico has no intention of ceding counties to its eastern neighbor. The spokesperson stated that New Mexico intends to keep the state "fully intact." The spokesperson also suggested that Texas could study how New Mexico has reduced methane emissions in the Permian Basin by half compared to Texas, noting that if Texas followed New Mexico's lead, it would benefit both Texans and the planet.

The Texas Tribune reported that while the Texas-New Mexico boundary is unlikely to shift next year, the proposal will likely appeal to pro-secessionists in Texas, some of whom are among Burrows’ conservative skeptics. Several New Mexico counties along the Texas-New Mexico border have expressed a desire to secede from the state and join Texas for various reasons. Texas has formed a committee to examine annexing oil-rich New Mexico counties after officials there have indicated they feel overlooked by state leaders in Santa Fe.

Key Facts

  • New Mexico Senator John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe, introduced legislation for a $5 strip club fee.
  • The proposed fee would fund sex crime prosecutions in New Mexico.
  • If approved, the fee would begin on January 1, following legislative approval and the governor's signature.
  • Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered a committee to study annexing New Mexico counties.
  • New Mexico State Representatives Randall Pettigrew and Jimmy Mason previously introduced a measure for county secession, which failed.
  • New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham's office stated no intention of shedding counties to Texas.