HB 157 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

NEW SCHOOL LICENSES

HB 157 creates new licensing requirements for school administrators in New Mexico, including site administrators (such as principals and assistant principals) and superintendents. The bill sets higher qualifications and standards for these licenses and establishes a new School Administrator Development Act to guide training and certification. It also delays the repeal of existing administrator licenses, allowing current license holders to continue working while transitioning to the new system. This bill directly affects school administrators, school districts, and state agencies that employ them.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed Apr 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the New Mexico School Personnel Act to update definitions related to child abuse, expand the definition of ethical misconduct to include discriminatory and sexual misconduct, and add new definitions for key terms like 'instructional support provider' and 'sabbatical leave'. The changes aim to clarify standards for school personnel and create a more comprehensive framework for addressing misconduct and protecting students.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of definitions in the School Personnel Act to include more specific categories of misconduct and new roles within the school system.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'child abuse' to include situations where a child is placed in danger by an adult, and added explicit mention of torture, cruel confinement, and cruel punishment.

Added new definitions for 'instructional support provider' (including roles like school counselors, social workers, nurses, and athletic coaches) and 'sabbatical leave' (paid leave for study or travel related to professional duties).

Expanded the definition of 'ethical misconduct' to explicitly include discriminatory practices based on protected characteristics and sexual misconduct involving children or students.

Added new definitions for 'moral turpitude' and 'governing authority' to clarify standards of conduct and decision-making bodies in schools.

Modified the definition of 'contractor' to clarify that building or maintenance contractors with no student access are excluded from the definition.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 20, 2025 · House Feb 21, 2025

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Mar 20, 2025

D Democratic24

23 Yea 1

95% Yea

R Republican16

16 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 11, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 22, 2025

Executive · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments

executive

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Education Committee & Senate Finance Committee

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Education Committee & House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors