On April 5, 2022 the New Mexico Legislature held a Special Session as called by the Governor. Legislators passed a "junior" budget bill with NMSU and higher education impacts. Click on the link below to read a preliminary report.
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.
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 Actwas passed by the House Education Committee, 7-3.
Monday, February 14
The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Thursday, February 17. Legislators are working around the clock to move legislation forward. Tonight the Senate passed HB 2, General Appropriation Act of 2022, by a vote of 37-3 and it will now go to the House for concurrence to the Senate-added amendments. If the House concurs the bill will be sent to the Governor for her signature after enrolling and engrossing. If the House does not concur, the bill will go to conference to reconcile differences. Today the Senate Finance Committee gave a due pass to HB 39, GRT Deduction for Nonathletic Events,which is critical in bringing concerts and shows to southern New Mexico. The House Appropriations and Finance Committee passed SB 48 Gen Appropriations and Auth Expenditures, which contains some funding for NMSU projects across the state. More on that later. Today the Senate Education Committee passed HB 13, Teacher Residency Changes,which supports the Teacher Residency Program. It also passed HB 73 Educational Retirees Returning to Work. SB 140, Opportunity Scholarship Actwas passed in the Senate and is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Committee on Wednesday. Tomorrow the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to take up two capital outlay bills, and a GOB bill. HB 153, General Obligation Bond Projects, includes $40 million (excluding NMDA) for building projects across the statewide NMSU system. SB 212, Capital Outlay Projects,includes $1 million for the NMSU system. The other capital outlay bill isSB 213, Capital Outlay Authorizations. Look up any of our previous updates by clicking here.
Legislative Update,Friday, February 11
The Senate Finance Committee will take up HB2 in committee on Saturday, February 12. We’ll keep an eye on what ends up in the final bill the when passed by committee.
This morning the Senate Rules Committee this unanimously approved the reappointment of Dr. Arsenio Romero to the NMSU Board of Regents. His reappointment was then unanimously confirmed by the full Senate. Thank you for your service Dr. Romero!
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)
The Senate today passedSB 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.
We’re also working on and trackingHB 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 clickinghere.
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 passedHB 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 Networka 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.
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
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 forHB 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
One of our priority bills,HB 108, Statewide Weather Station Networkwill be heard in the House Agriculture, Acequias & Water Resources Committee tomorrow morning at 8:30. You can find any of the live webcastshere.
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.
A bill on schedule tomorrow (Tuesday) isSB 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 meetingshere.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).
Dr. Leslie Edgar, Associate Dean and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, accompanies Senator Bill Soules as they present SB 53 to the Senate Conservation Committee.
Dr. Leslie Edgar, Associate Dean and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, accompanies Senator Bill Soules as they present SB 53 to the Senate Conservation Committee.
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 passedSB 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 50Expand Nursing Programs at Colleges, is not yet scheduled.
There is a bill of interest to NMSU scheduled tomorrow:
This morning the House Education Committee passedHB 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 passedSB 50Expand 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 53Ag Experiment Station Science Centers, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am
SB 72NMSU Center for Dryland Resilience, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 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 viewedhere. 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 forHB 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 39GRT Deduction for Nonathletic Special Events, House Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 8:00am
SB 1Increasing Salary For Licensed Teachers, Senate Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 9:00am
SB 50Expand Nursing Programs at Colleges, Senate Education Committee, Wednesday, Jan 26, 9:00am
SB 53Ag Experiment Station Science Centers, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am
SB 72NMSU Center for Dryland Resilience, Senate Conservation Committee, Thursday, Jan 27, 9:00am
More bills were introduced on this third calendar day of the session. A couple of bills to note areSB 124,a Lottery Tuition bill, andSB 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 aResearch Grants Closing Fundadministered 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.
