CYFD IDENTIFICATION FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN

HB 133 requires New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to provide standard identification cards to children aged 14 or older who have been in CYFD custody for 30 or more consecutive days. The department must secure the card within 90 days of placement, or within 90 days after a condition preventing compliance (like incarceration or disability) ends. This standard card does not require proof of lawful status - unlike REAL ID cards - making it accessible for youth in foster care who may lack documentation. The bill, effective January 1, 2026, aims to help these children access services requiring identification.