HB 195 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

SCHOOL NURSE SALARY TIERS & MINIMUMS

HB 195 establishes a tiered salary system for school nurses in New Mexico, aligning minimum salaries with corresponding teacher salary levels (e.g., level one nurses earn the same as level one teachers). It creates three license tiers: level one (provisional for new nurses), level two (experienced), and level three (advanced), requiring annual competency evaluations and mentorship for level one nurses. The bill also adds a "national board certification" program unit, giving school districts extra funding for nurses certified by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, contingent on districts providing a salary differential. These changes directly affect public school nurses and districts, aiming to improve recruitment and retention through structured compensation and certification incentives.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Signed Apr 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill creates a new salary system for school nurses in New Mexico, establishing a tiered licensure structure with corresponding salary increases. It adds program unit funding for school nurses certified by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses and creates a new licensing pathway for beginning nurses.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of school personnel funding to include school nurses as a distinct category with their own certification and salary requirements, separate from teachers.

ELIGIBILITY

Created a new level one license for beginning registered nurses with less than three years of nursing experience, requiring a mentorship program and annual performance evaluations.

FISCAL

Added program units for school nurses certified by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, providing additional funding to districts hiring these certified nurses.

REQUIREMENT

Established that level one school nurses must complete a formal mentorship program for at least one full school year and undergo annual intensive performance evaluations.

SALARY

Set minimum salaries for school nurses at the same rate as teachers, with additional salary differentials for nurses with national board certification.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for level one licensure as a provisional three-year license for beginning nurses requiring mentorship and evaluation.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 21, 2025 · House Mar 14, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Mar 21, 2025

D Democratic24

23 Yea 1

95% Yea

R Republican16

13 Yea 3

81% 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 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Education Committee

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Education Committee & House Appropriations & Finance Committee

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors