APPOINTIVE EXEC. POSITION NAMES & DATA

HB 429 requires New Mexico state agencies and institutions to publicly post the names and resumes of at least three finalists for non-elected executive leadership roles (such as agency directors) at least ten days before a final hiring decision. It mandates that agencies collect voluntary, anonymous demographic data (including race, ethnicity, gender identity, and languages spoken) from applicants, then share aggregated, non-identifiable statistics when finalists are announced. The bill exempts non-finalist applicant records from public disclosure under the state's open records law while protecting finalists' reference letters and medical data from public access. This applies to non-elected chief executives of state agencies but excludes political appointments like cabinet secretaries, and takes effect on July 1, 2025.