Lawmakers review bills to boost student teacher pay, fund graduate education and curb school restraints

Lawmakers reviewed another slate of education-related bills at the Legislature this week. Some of the legislation could raise salaries for student teachers, ban physical restraint in schools and fund Spanish-language medical education.

Here's a rundown:

Senate Bill 19: PED gets more time to finalize budget

SB 19, sponsored by Sen. William Soules, D-Las Cruces, and 10 others, allows the New Mexico Public Education Department an extension until Feb. 27 to finish its operational budget for the next fiscal year. Under the current statute, PED must complete its financial planning by Jan. 31. 

Funding for schools is divided up based on the state equalization guarantee, a formula that distributes money based on student enrollment and a variety of other factors.

According to a legislative analysis of the bill, PED is anticipating a significant increase in student enrollment because of new virtual programs in the 2025-2026 school year, which may create a potential shortfall between $20 million and $35 million.

With more time, the department can gather information on the projected budgetary impact and for the Legislature to consider potential solutions, according to the analysis.

The bill passed with a near-unanimous vote in both chambers and was signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last week. The legislation has an emergency clause, meaning it takes effect immediately.

Senate Bill 106: $5 million boost for graduate scholarships

SB 106, sponsored by Sen. Harold Pope, D-Albuquerque, appropriates $5 million from the state’s general fund to the Higher Education Department for the Graduate Scholarship Act, which pays up to 100% of graduate tuition and fees for New Mexico residents.

The bill received a unanimous do pass recommendation from the Senate Education Committee.

Senate Bill 179: Funding Spanish language instruction at the UNM medical program

SB 179, carried by Sen. Linda López, D-Albuquerque, Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, and Sen. Rex Wilson, R-Ancho, appropriates $350,000 from the general fund to the University of New Mexico for Spanish-language health sciences courses to educate bilingual health care workers.

The bill passed the Senate Education Committee in a vote of 6-3.

House Bill 30: Increasing resident teacher stipends

HB30, sponsored by Rep. Debra Sariñana, D-Albuquerque, Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, and four others, sets the minimum stipend for an undergraduate teacher resident at 65% of an entry level teacher’s salary, or $35,750, and 80% or $44,000 for a teacher resident with a bachelor’s degree.

The bill will require teacher residents, who are paid apprentice teachers, to spend a minimum of three years at any public school in New Mexico. This is a change from the current law, which requires teacher residents to teach in the district or school where they completed their residency.

The bill passed the House Education Committee and the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee with unanimous votes.

House Bill 120: Limiting restraint and seclusion

HB 120, sponsored by Rep. Yanira Gurrola, D-Albuquerque, and four others, prohibits various types of restraint and seclusion in public schools. 

The measure bans seclusion, time-outs, mechanical and prone restraint, and forbids school staff from administering medication not prescribed to the student unless accompanied by continuous line-of-sight observation.

Certain types of physical restraint are allowed under the bill, only if the student is endangering themselves or others and other methods have failed.

The measure passed the House Education Committee with a vote of 7-5.

House Memorial 4: Studying higher education health insurance costs

HM4, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, and Rep. Diane Torres-Velásquez, D-Albuquerque, is an effort to study options to expand health insurance options for all public higher education employees and graduate student workers.

The study will be completed by Oct. 1, according to a legislative report.

The memorial received a unanimous do pass recommendation from the House Education Committee.

House Memorial 2: Studying the use of screen time in the classroom

HM2, sponsored by Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Albuquerque, will start a study on the effects of screen time for instruction in elementary school classrooms.

The memorial asks the PED to ensure that required technology use is “purposeful” and “supportive of healthy child development.”

HM2 received a unanimous do pass recommendation from the House Education Committee.

 Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.