About Day
Fighting for Our Families, Economic Opportunity, and a Stronger New Mexico
Dayan “Day” Hochman-Vigil proudly serves as State Representative for House District 15, which includes Bernalillo County’s beautiful North Valley, a portion of Albuquerque's NE Heights, and the Village of Los Ranchos. A lifelong New Mexican and accomplished attorney, Day brings a strong legal background and unwavering commitment to public service to her role in the legislature. Since her election in 2018, she has emerged as a leader on criminal justice reform, government transparency, healthcare access, and child protection, sponsoring and passing dozens of bills that reflect her values and deliver real results for all New Mexicans.
Advocating For Safer Communities & Investing In Behavioral Health Services
Day has played a pivotal role in strengthening public safety and protecting victims' rights. In 2020, she co-sponsored The Safer Communities Act, a bipartisan measure that empowers judges to impose stiffer penalties for gun-related crimes and provides more resources for community policing. That same year, she passed legislation which prevents employers from silencing survivors of harassment and discrimination with forced nondisclosure agreements. In 2025, she played a lead role in passing a landmark bipartisan public safety package addressing fentanyl distribution, gun violence, auto theft, and DWI enforcement. Day fought for and secured the final round of funding to complete the Albuquerque Police Department's Real-Time Crime Monitoring Center. She is particularly proud to have served as the primary sponsor of a $1 billion Behavioral Health Trust Fund, the largest mental health investment in state history.
Committed to Keeping New Mexicans Safe
Building on her commitment to justice and accountability, Day worked closely with the Governor to pass a major anti-terrorism bill in 2019, which expanded New Mexico’s Anti-Terrorism Act to criminalize threats targeting public institutions, including schools and government buildings. She also passed legislation to establish a mandatory 14 business day waiting period for firearm sales, helping reduce impulsive gun violence, and a bill to protect the identities of victims and witnesses in sensitive criminal cases.
Paving a Brighter Future for Our Youth
Day has fought hard to protect New Mexico’s most vulnerable populations, especially children and survivors of abuse. In 2025, she sponsored the creation of an independent Office of Child Advocate to investigate complaints and ensure greater oversight of children in state custody. That same year, she passed legislation reforming caregiver background checks to better protect the elderly and disabled, and a bill establishing Children’s Advocacy Centers across the state to investigate abuse in a child-focused setting. Her legislation has also expanded mental health and trauma support for foster youth, including a bill that encourages storytelling as a healing tool.
Expanding Opportunity for Every New Mexican
Day understands the critical role that education and economic opportunity play in building strong communities. In 2025, she passed legislation to expand New Mexico’s Graduate Scholarship Act and to create a Career Technical Education pilot program for public schools. Her economic development priorities have included major infrastructure and job creation legislation. She co-sponsored bills to develop trade ports and expand supply chain capacity, create a dedicated Infrastructure Planning and Development Division, and improve access to clean drinking water through a more robust grant and loan system. She’s also supported small business and health equity through bills that guarantee chiropractic copay parity and make title insurance rates more transparent.
Day was recently elected House Majority Whip, where she helps lead legislative negotiations, guides strategy, and works to pass the issues that matter most to New Mexicans. She also serves on the House Judiciary Committee, overseeing many of the state’s most crucial legal reforms, and is the immediate past chair of the House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee, where she continues to serve as a key member shaping infrastructure investments.
Day’s Life of Service to New Mexico:
A Santa Fe native, Day grew up surrounded by hard-working New Mexicans. Her father was a doctor, rancher, and small business owner, and her mother managed a restaurant on the Santa Fe Plaza. These early experiences instilled in her a deep respect for public service, equity, and perseverance. She holds a B.A. in political science and the arts, speaks three languages, and has lived and studied in four countries.
Before law school, Day served as a Public Interest Fellow with the ACLU, advocating for free speech and voter rights. She was recognized for her pro bono work and helped secure the release of a wrongfully incarcerated man who had spent 28 years in prison. After earning her law degree from UNM and an advanced degree in Aviation and Space Law from McGill University, she worked in Washington, D.C. as a regulatory attorney, engaging with the FAA, DOT, and NTSB.
Day currently manages her own law firm, DHV Law LLC, and is the only certified aviation and space law attorney in New Mexico. She has served as an American Bar Association National Scholar and was the youngest president of the New Mexico Women’s Bar Association in 2013. Whether in the courtroom or the Roundhouse, Day brings integrity, expertise, and compassion to every challenge, and she’s just getting started.
Professional & Legislative Experience:
New Mexico State Representative, District 15
2018-Present
- Elected to represent Bernalillo County's North Valley, a portion of Albuquerque's NE Heights, and the Village of Los Ranchos.
- Passed over 40 bills into law.
- Leads constituent outreach and policy development rooted in transparency and equity.
House Majority Whip, New Mexico House of Representatives
2025-Present
- Coordinates legislative strategy, party communication, and support for major initiatives.
- Serves in senior House leadership, advancing high-priority bipartisan legislation.
House Judiciary Committee–Member
2025-Present
- Oversees major legal, justice, and civil rights legislation
Transportation, Public Works, and Capital Improvements Committee
Chair 2021-2024; Member 2025-Present
- Guided public infrastructure funding and transportation bond policy.
- Helped shape broadband expansion, smart roads, and energy project oversight.
Founder & Attorney, DHV Law LLC
2015-Present
- New Mexico’s only certified Aviation & Space Law attorney
- Advises clients on safety, federal regulations, and government compliance
- Engages with FAA, DOT, NTSB, and state agencies
Regulatory Attorney, Washington, D.C.
2012-2015
- Focused on federal transportation and safety policy
- Gained deep experience in administrative law and public agency coordination
Public Interest Fellow, ACLU of Colorado
2010-2011
- Worked on free speech, voter protection, and civil rights litigation
- Helped exonerate a wrongfully imprisoned individual through legal advocacy
President, New Mexico Women’s Bar Association
2013
- Youngest individual to lead the organization
- Advocated for gender equity and support for women attorneys statewide
National Scholar, ABA Young Lawyers Division
2013
- Honored for leadership and commitment to public service
Professional & Legislative Experience:
New Mexico State Representative, District 15
2018-Present
- Elected to represent Bernalillo County's North Valley, a portion of Albuquerque's NE Heights, and the Village of Los Ranchos.
- Passed over 40 bills into law.
- Leads constituent outreach and policy development rooted in transparency and equity.
House Majority Whip, New Mexico House of Representatives
2025-Present
- Coordinates legislative strategy, party communication, and support for major initiatives.
- Serves in senior House leadership, advancing high-priority bipartisan legislation.
House Judiciary Committee–Member
2023-Present
- Oversees major legal, justice, and civil rights legislation
Transportation, Public Works, and Capital Improvements Committee
Chair: 2021-2023, Member: 2024-Present
- Guided public infrastructure funding and transportation bond policy.
- Helped shape broadband expansion, smart roads, and energy project oversight.
Founder & Attorney, DHV Law LLC
2015-Present
- New Mexico’s only certified Aviation & Space Law attorney
- Advises clients on safety, federal regulations, and government compliance
- Engages with FAA, DOT, NTSB, and state agencies
Regulatory Attorney, Washington, D.C.
2012-2015
- Focused on federal transportation and safety policy
- Gained deep experience in administrative law and public agency coordination
Public Interest Fellow, ACLU of Colorado
2010-2011
- Worked on free speech, voter protection, and civil rights litigation
- Helped exonerate a wrongfully imprisoned individual through legal advocacy
President, New Mexico Women’s Bar Association
2013
- Youngest individual to lead the organization
- Advocated for gender equity and support for women attorneys statewide
National Scholar, ABA Young Lawyers Division
2013
- Honored for leadership and commitment to public service
