STUDY CYFD AS INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE DEPT

This House Memorial requests the Legislative Finance Committee to form a task force to study whether New Mexico should amend its constitution to make the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) an independent executive department, separate from the Governor's office. The study would examine creating an independent commission to hire CYFD's executive director, addressing current challenges like a 25.4% vacancy rate, high child maltreatment rates (12.6 per 1,000 children vs. a national average of 7.4), and failed federal funding plans. It would evaluate potential benefits, costs, and lessons from other states' commission structures. The memorial itself does not change policy - it only seeks a study before pursuing a constitutional amendment.