Los Alamos Reporter

House Passes Legislation To Support Educators And Expand Access To Higher Education

HOUSE DEMOCRATS NEWS RELEASE

\The House of Representatives on Friday passed three important pieces of legislation to support students and teachers and strengthen educational institutions across the state. 

House Bill 8, which passed by a vote of 45-23, creates a first-of-its-kind dedicated funding source for higher education projects. This Higher Education Major Projects Fund would fully fund the UNM School of Medicine expansion, a mixed-use humanities building at NMSU, and student life and housing projects statewide. 

“As higher education enrollment continues to climb in New Mexico and capital projects are becoming harder to support, it’s critically important that these institutions are fully equipped to house and serve our students,” said lead sponsor Rep. Anita Gonzales (D-Las Vegas). “This legislation makes sure our colleges and universities have the facilities and resources to meet the needs of students today and prepare the workforce we need for tomorrow.”

HB 8 is also sponsored by House Majority Whip Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) and Senator Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas).

House Bill 30, which passed the House unanimously, would raise the minimum stipends for aspiring teacher residents to $35,000 for undergraduates and $44,000 for those who have already completed their bachelor’s degree. New Mexico’s residency program provides critical, paid experience for young educators in exchange for a commitment to remain as a teacher in the district for 3-5 years. 

“To build up a strong workforce of teachers to educate our children for generations to come, we need to make sure residents are paid a good, living wage as they work toward their teaching license,” said lead sponsor Rep. Debra Sariñana (D-Albuquerque). “Investments in teacher residencies are investments in our students, because residencies lead to well-prepared teachers, enhanced quality of education, and improved student learning.” 

HB 30 is also sponsored by Reps. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque) and Brian Baca (R-Los Lunas), Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) and Senator Natalie Figueroa (D-Albuquerque). 

House Joint Resolution 1, which unanimously passed the House, would allow voters to decide whether to create nominating committees to select regent candidates for the state’s educational institutions. HJR 1 would require the Governor to select candidates from the committees’ lists of nominees, rather than have sole authority to name regents. It would also allow each institution’s student governing body to appoint the student regents, rather than the institution’s president. 

HJR 1 is sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos) and Senator Jeff Steinborn (D-Dona Ana). If passed by both chambers of the legislature, the proposed Constitutional Amendment would then be on the ballot in the November 2026 election. 

Creating more opportunities for New Mexico’s children and youth is a top priority for House Democrats this session. A select list of our cradle-to-career education and child well-being  investments and legislation is below. 

The Roundhouse will be open to the public for the entirety of this year’s 30-day session. Members of the public can also view floor sessions and committee meetings on the New Mexico Legislature’s Webcasts tab, and provide comment via phone or Zoom as directed on the daily schedule.   

Select Education and Child Well-Being Priorities 

A non-comprehensive list of investments and legislation addressing education and child well-being introduced by House Democrats this session includes: 

  • Directing nearly $80 million to universal childcare, including over $60 million to ensure early childhood educators are paid a good, living wage through the wage and career lattice, so New Mexico can recruit and retain quality providers and build the capacity needed to fully implement the program (HB 2)*
  • Creating a first-of-its-kind Higher Education Major Projects Fund, which would fully fund the UNM School of Medicine expansion, a mixed-use humanities building at NMSU, and student life and housing projects statewide (HB 8, HB 2)*
  • Allocating $4.7 billion in recurring funding for public education (HB 2)*
  • Recruiting and retaining more quality educators to New Mexico by raising pay for teacher residents (HB 30)* and increasing funding for the Teacher Loan Repayment Program and the Educator Fellows Program (HB 2)*
  • Dedicating over $73 million in recurring funding to decrease healthcare costs for teachers (80/20), so educators and school staff can keep more of what they earn (HB 2)*
  • Allowing voters to decide whether to create nominating committees to select regent candidates for the state’s educational institutions (HJR 1)*
  • Fully funding the Black, Hispanic, and Multicultural Education Acts (HB 2)*
  • Proactively addressing juvenile crime by pairing  prevention and rehabilitation services, with oversight and accountability for at-risk youth (HB 5)
  • Allowing voters to choose whether to amend the state’s constitution to create an independent commission to oversee the operations and policies of the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) (HJR 4)