The 2022 session of the New Mexico legislature adjourned on Thursday, February 17.   Below is the final  summary report of items from the legislative session that impact NMSU and higher education. Contact our office at gaffairs@nmsu.edu if you have any questions.

 NMSU 2022 Final Post-Session Legislative Report

Legislative Update, Wednesday February 16

At this writing about 18 hours remain in the legislative session of 2022. Today both the House and Senate passed the conference committee report for HB2 and 3, sending the state budget bill to the Governor for her signature.  She has until March 9 to sign the bill.  Any legislation she does not sign by March 9 is pocket-vetoed. The House this afternoon passed SB 212, Capital Outlay Projects. The bill includes approximately $5.9 million for NMSU system building renovations and improvements is areas communities across the state. Click here for a summary of NMSU projects in SB 212 Capital Outlay Projects The summary also includes a summary of the funding included for NMSU in HB 153, the GO Bond bill.  The funding in those bills will be included on the election ballot in November, and must be approved by voters. Also today, SB 140, Opportunity Scholarship Act was passed by the House Education Committee, 7-3.  

 Monday, February 14

 
Legislative Update, Friday, February 11

Thursday, February 10

At the time of this writing there are about 150 hours until Sine Die, and this year’s legislature will be over.

A subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee adopted changes to HB2, General Appropriations Act of 2022.  Below is a summary of some items that impact to NMSU.  This is subject to change since the full committee report is not yet available.

Section 4 Changes (Recurring)

• Adds $3.0 million for NMSU/UNM Athletics ($1.5 million each for mental health services, nutrition and Title IX compliance)

Sections 5,6,7 Specials, Supplementals (non-recurring)

• $10.0 million increase for teacher residency
• Increases the appropriation for nursing programs from $10 million to $15 million
• $200,000 for NMSU rodeo team
• $1.0 million each for nursing up at ENMU, NMHU, San Juan College, WNMU
• $1.0 million each for teach up at ENMU, NMHU, San Juan College, WNMU

Sections 9/10/11 (Other Specials & Fund Transfers)

• Increase food hunger initiatives from $8 million to $16 million
• $20 million to DoIT for broadband/cybersecurity
• Reduce Lottery tuition fund transfer from $150M to $140M
• Increase opportunity scholarship by $10M (total $75 million recurring/non recurring)
• Reduce the Social Work endowment by $15 million ($35 million)
• Moves $10 million from DFA to NMDA for Soil and water conservation districts and also moves the $5.0 million appropriation
• $15.0 million to HED to expand public health schools at UNM/NMSU ($10.0M for UNM/$5.0 million for NMSU).

The full Senate Finance Committee still has to take up the bill and approve it, which would send it to the Senate floor.

Click on this link for a detailed summary before the SFC subcommittee changes: HB 2 information for NMSU and higher education. 

The Senate today passed SB 48, Gen Appropriations and Auth Expenditures, commonly referred to as the Junior Bill.  It has additional funding for some NMSU system programs.  We’re working on a table that we’ll post here soon.

Today the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee is scheduled to consider HB 39 GRT Deduction for Non Athletic Special Events.   

We’re also working on and tracking HB 153, General Obligation Bond Projects, where there is $42.6 million for NMSU capital outlay requests (buildings) for the NMSU system statewide.

NMSU football coach Jerry Kill visited and was recognized at the state legislature today. The annual Hoops 4 Hope Charity game, in which House and Senate members play basketball to raise money for cancer research and services in New Mexico, would have been played tonight. The game, where coaches from NMSU and UNM coach opposing teams, was cancelled. Also pictured are NMSU Regent Arsenio Romero, NMSU Athletic Director Mario Moccia, NMSU Deputy Athletic Director Braun Cartwright, NMSU Government Relations State Director Clayton Abbey, and NMSU alumni and former Government Relations State Director Johnny Montoya. What a team.

Look up any of our previous updates by clicking here. 

Sunday February 6

With less than halfway to go in the legislative session, legislators were at work during the weekend.

In a Saturday session of the House, it passed HB  39, GRT Deduction for Non-Athletic Events.  The bill would extend the GRT deduction exemption for non-athletic events at post-secondary educational institutions.  The exemption puts the Pan American Center on a more level playing field for major concerts and shows with UTEP, where events are already exempt.

Other recent items of interest:

SB 192 University Athletic Programs, which would provide funding to NMSU and UNM for mental health support, nutrition, Title IX compliance, and other support services for student athletes, was passed by the Senate Education Committee,

HB 108 Statewide Weather Station Network a bill that would provide funding for the Ziamet weather station network, which monitors surface water conditions across the state, was passed by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee.

SB 212 Capital Outlay Projects, was introduced and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Bills that we will be watching tomorrow include:

SB 36 Contributions to Educational Retirement Fund

SB 125 State Employee Minimum Wage

SB 172 Retirees Returning to Work

Last week, the Senate Finance Committee listened to presentations on HB 2, General Appropriation Act of 2022, and will soon take it up for consideration.

The bill calls for a 3% compensation increase for university employees for the last quarter of the current fiscal year, then in FY23, a 4% increase on top of that.  For the NMSU system, it includes a $7.2 million increase in funding for Instruction & General, and research projects, over FY22.

Some items of interest:

• $65 million for the Opportunity Scholarship
• $140 million for Lottery Tuition Fund
• $4 million for dual credit
• $50 million for Endowed faculty positions in Teacher educators preparation programs
• $50 million for Endowed faculty positions in bachelor and master degree in social worker programs
• $20 million for the Teacher preparation affordability scholarship fund
• $30 million for endowed faculty positions in bachelor and master nursing programs
• $45 million for a Technology enhancement fund to state research institutions for matching funds

Click on this link for detailed HB 2 information for NMSU and higher education. 

Coming up is also a bill commonly called the “Junior Bill.”  SB 48, Gen Appropriations and Auth Expenditures, is another budget bill that could include funding for some NMSU programs.  The Senate Finance Committee is expected to take up the bill on Monday.

Wednesday, February 2

The committee substitute for HB 2, General Appropriation Act of 2022, was reported out of the House Appropriations  and Finance Committee on a 15-3 vote on Tuesday.  The bill is now set to be considered by the House when it convenes at 11:00am on Thursday.

The bill calls for a 3% compensation increase for university employees for the last quarter of the current fiscal year, then in FY23, a 4% increase on top of that.  For the NMSU system, it includes a $7.2 million increase in funding for Instruction & General, and research projects, over FY22.

Some items of interest:

• $65 million for the Opportunity Scholarship
• $140 million for Lottery Tuition Fund
• $4 million for dual credit
• $50 million for Endowed faculty positions in Teacher educators preparation programs
• $50 milllion for Endowed faculty positions in bachelor and master degree in social worker programs
• $20 million for the Teacher preparation affordability scholarship fund
• $30 million for endowed faculty positions in bachelor and master nursing programs
• $45 million for a Technology enhancement fund to state research institutions for matching funds

Click on this link for detailed HB 2 information for NMSU and higher education. 

One of our priority bills, HB 108, Statewide Weather Station Network will be heard in the House Agriculture, Acequias & Water Resources Committee tomorrow morning at 8:30.  You can find any of the live webcasts here. 

Today was last call for bill introduction. We’re midway through the legislative session and still much work to be done.  Check back here for more info soon.

Monday, January 31

A few bills of interest we were watching today:

HB 39 GRT Deduction for Nonathletic Events        Passed unanimously by House Tax and Revenue Committee

SB 140 Opportunity Scholarship Act                      Passed by Senate Education Committee, 5-3

SB 119 UNM Health Sciences Center                      Senate Health & Public Affairs passed as amended, 6-2,

A bill on schedule tomorrow (Tuesday) is SB 139, NMSU Statewide Agricultural Programs.  The Senate Conservation Committee is scheduled to take it up at 9:00am. The bill would appropriate $250,000 for statewide agricultural programs.

The House Appropriations and Finance Committee will give final review to the big budget bill, General Appropriation Act of 2022, tomorrow, starting at 8am.  You can watch live webcasts of committee and floor meetings here.  We’ll know more about the status of  NMSU’s legislative priorities, including compensation for university employees, after that hearing.

Thursday, January 27

There are 20 days left in this year’s legislative session! Legislators have less than a week before the deadline for bill introduction (Feb 2).

This morning the Senate Conservation Committee passed two bills that impact NMSU. SB 53, Ag Experiment Station Science Centers would provide $10 million of much-needed funding for operation and maintenance at agricultural science centers across the state.  The committee also passed SB 72, NMSU Center for Dryland Resilience.  The bill appropriates funding for a collaborative with NMSU, ENMU, NM Tech, and UNM, establishing a center that would develop and build a technologically advanced statewide ecological monitoring network, develop computer modeling and artificial intelligence solutions to diagnose and predict vulnerabilities in dryland natural capital, biodiversity and social-ecological-agricultural systems and develop resilience strategies for the sustainable management of drylands.

Dr. Alexa Doig, Director of NMSU’s School of Nursing, participated in a panel in front of the Senate Finance Committee this morning on “Addressing the Nursing Workforce Shortage.” That committee will soon be considering a bill that would provide funding to the Higher Education Department for nursing programs at colleges and universities. The bill, SB 50 Expand Nursing Programs at Colleges, is not yet scheduled.

There is a bill of interest to NMSU scheduled tomorrow:

SB 73, UNM Quantum Materials Technologies, Senate Education Committee, Friday, Jan 28, 9:00am

Wednesday, January 26

This morning the House Education Committee passed HB 39, GRT Deduction for Nonathletic Special Events.  This bill is important in New Mexico’s ability to attract major concerts and shows to the Pan Am Center at NMSU.  Also this morning, the Senate Education Committee passed SB 50 Expand Nursing Programs at Colleges.  The bill will be impactful to enrollment at the NMSU School of Nursing, and assist in the effort to decrease the shortage of nurses in the workforce.  Additionally on that note, NMSU’s Director of the School of Nursing, Alexa Doig, has been invited to participate in a Panel on Addressing the Nursing Workforce Shortage, before the Senate Finance Committee, tomorrow, Thursday, at 9:00am.

Also yesterday, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee approved the Legislative Finance Committee recommendation for higher education funding.  You can find their funding recommendation if you scroll below.

There are a few more bills coming up in the next few days that we’re keeping our eye on:

SB 53 Ag Experiment Station Science Centers, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am

SB 72 NMSU Center for Dryland Resilience, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am

SB 73, UNM Quantum Materials Technologies, Senate Education Committee, Friday, Jan 28, 9:00am

And lastly, congratulations to our Director at the Physical Science Laboratory, General Eric Sanchez, who was confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Military Base Planning Committee this afternoon.

Tuesday, January 25

The legislature started a week ago today and there are 356 bills that have been introduced so far.

Attention will turn to higher education during today’s meeting of the House Appropriations & Finance Committee.  The LFC and representatives from higher education institutions will make presentations. The live webcast can be viewed here.  They are scheduled to convene at 1:30pm, but their schedule may depend on activity on the House floor.

This morning the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee passed the committee substitute for HB 101, the NM Reforestation Center.  It would allow the NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to enter into an agreement with New Mexico Highlands, NMSU, and UNM to create the New Mexico Reforestation Center.

Other bills of interest scheduled for committee consideration include:

HB 39 GRT Deduction for Nonathletic Special Events, House Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 8:00am

SB 1 Increasing Salary For Licensed Teachers, Senate Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 9:00am

SB 50 Expand Nursing Programs at Colleges, Senate Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 9:00am

SB 53 Ag Experiment Station Science Centers, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am

SB 72 NMSU Center for Dryland Resilience, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am

SB 73, UNM Quantum Materials Technologies, Senate Education Committee, Friday, Jan 28, 9:00am

Thursday, January 20

More bills were introduced on this third calendar day of the session.  A couple of bills to note are SB 124, a Lottery Tuition bill, and SB 140, which is related to the Opportunity Scholarship. At a quick glance, it look like the Lottery Bill would change the credit requirement from 15 a semester, to 30 a year.  Also, a qualified student would be able to receive the scholarship for a maximum of four regular academic years, as opposed to seven semesters.  The Opportunity Scholarship Bill would appropriate over $85 million in fiscal year 2023 and subsequent years.

The Senate won’t reconvene until noon on Monday, giving committees a chance to organize.  The House is back on the floor at 11:30am tomorrow.

Stay tuned and we will soon have a NMSU Bill Tracking Link posted here to take a look at what bills the NMSU Office of Government and Community Relations is tracking.

Wednesday, January 20

The legislative session is well underway in Santa Fe on this second calendar day of the session.  As of this morning 138 bills had been filed and many more were introduced today, including a couple that have direct impact to the NMSU system.  Two bills introduced today were: SB 53, which would appropriate funding for maintenance and operations at Agricultural Experiment Station science centers statewide, and also SB 72, in which NMSU would collaborate with other higher education institutions in the state to establish a Center for Dryland Resilience.  Yesterday, a bill that would create a Research Grants Closing Fund administered by the Higher Education Department, and would provide matching funds required by many public and private grants.

The House will reconvene at 11:30am on Thursday. The Senate will reconvene at 1pm.