The 2022 Legislative Session is history now. But the bills that passed, failed, or were set aside for another day will continue to shape the educational landscape of New Mexico. Here is a brief summary of the legislative outcomes.
The Budget
- Teacher tier minimums are funded for $50K, $60K, and $70K for levels I-III, respectively.
- Additional compensation increases for educators (3%) in districts who participate in Extended Learning Time Programs or K5+.
- No language mandating extended learning or K5+, which keeps these decisions in local communities, based on educator, parent, and school board input.
- Funding for the State Equalization Guarantee to provide a $15/hour minimum wage for K-12 hourly employees.
- Funding to provide a $15/hour minimum wage for higher education hourly employees.
- Funding for a 3% salary increase beginning on April 1, 2022, for all public-school personnel, including transportation and higher education staff.
- Funding for an additional 4% average salary increase for all public-school personnel in FY ’23, including transportation and higher education staff.
- $10M to use as flexible pay for increases at local levels, including hard-to-staff positions and to combat compaction issues, which could include equalizing salary increases for ancillary staff in our schools.
- $20M for an additional 1% employer-paid contribution to the educator pension fund (ERB).
- $43M for culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional materials for eligible students, including dual-credit instructional materials and educational technology.
- $10M for career technical education initiatives and equipment.
- $11M for increase funding for paid residencies for incoming educators and stipends for student teachers.
- $8M for increased implementation of New Mexico Community Schools.
- $53M for the Opportunity Scholarship which seeks to provide free public higher education for all New Mexico students.
- $500K for continued funding of the Grow Your Own Educators Act.
The Bills
- House Bill 13 (Sariñana, Garratt, Soules, Stewart, Lane) Expand the already successful efforts of New Mexico to establish and grow a paid teacher residency program for aspiring teachers who wish to enter the profession.
- House Bill 57 (GA Romero/Kernan) Holds transportation funding harmless through 2023 to preserve sufficient transportation resources.
- House Bill 73 (Garratt, Anderson, Lane) and Senate Bill 172 (Munoz) (Identical bills) Allow retirees to return to work after a 90-day layout period. Those who return will contribute to theERB and will only be allowed to work for 36 months.
- Senate Bill 1 (Stewart, Sariñana, Correa Hemphill) Increases teacher tier minimums now funded at $50K, $60K, and $70K for levels I-III, respectively. Includes funding for counselors with a Level 3 PED license.
- Senate Bill 7 (Sedillo-Lopez, Wirth, Lopez) $15-hour minimum wage for state employees including K-12 and Higher Ed hourly employees.
- Senate Bill 36 (Stewart, Figueroa) 1% Employer contribution to ERB by employers, not employees, to ensure ERB is fully funded on a shorter timeline.
- Senate Bill 41 (Stewart, Chandler) Ensuring collective bargaining for the nurses at the Sandoval Regional Medical Center. All workers, and especially those who have been on the front line of the pandemic, deserve the right to organize.
- Senate Bill 140 (Stefanics, Garratt) The Opportunity Scholarship will restore the initial promise of the Lottery Scholarship, enabling tuition-free college for 55,000 students across the state.
We want to thank the NM Legislature for supporting our public schools and the workers who make them function.
We’d like to give a special shout out to these current and retired members of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation and the AFT New Mexico who sponsored and supported bills promoting public education and public safety this session:
Senator Mimi Stewart
Representative G. Andres Romero
Representative Joy Garratt
Representative Liz Thomson
Representative Debra Sariñana
Representative Natalie Figueroa
Representative Christine Trujillo
Representative Miguel Garcia
Representative Willie Madrid
