SB 53 New Mexico Senate · 2025 Regular Session

PRESCRIBING PSYCHOLOGIST PSYCHOTROPICS

SB 53 amends New Mexico's Professional Psychologist Act to allow licensed psychologists with at least four years of independent experience prescribing psychotropic medications for mental health conditions to qualify as "independently licensed prescribing clinicians." This expands the definition to include such psychologists alongside physicians, nurse practitioners, and others who meet the experience requirement. The change directly affects qualified psychologists seeking to prescribe medications without supervision, aligning their status with other prescribing clinicians under the law. The bill does not alter who may prescribe but adjusts the eligibility criteria for psychologists to practice independently in this area.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Signed Apr 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends the Professional Psychologist Act in New Mexico to expand the definition of 'independently licensed prescribing clinician' to include nurse practitioners, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists alongside physicians and prescribing psychologists. This change broadens the scope of who can supervise psychologists in prescribing psychotropic medication, potentially increasing access to mental health treatment through expanded prescribing pathways.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Professional Psychologist Act by adding new categories of healthcare providers eligible to supervise psychologists in prescribing psychotropic medication.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'independently licensed prescribing clinician' was modified to include nurse practitioners, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists in addition to licensed physicians, osteopathic physicians, and prescribing psychologists.

ELIGIBILITY

New eligibility criteria were added allowing nurse practitioners, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise psychologists in prescribing psychotropic medication, provided they have at least four years of independent experience in prescribing such medication.

REQUIREMENT

The requirements for conditional prescription certificates were modified to allow psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication under the supervision of the newly expanded category of supervising clinicians.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2025 · House Mar 21, 2025

How they voted

37–1

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic24

21 Yea 1 Nay 2

87% 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 8, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee & Senate Judiciary Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors