GUARDIAN AD LITEM CAPACITY

SB 126, titled "GUARDIAN AD LITEM CAPACITY," amends New Mexico's Children's Code to limit each guardian ad litem (GAL) to representing no more than twenty children simultaneously. This directly affects GALs appointed in child welfare, custody, or abuse cases by setting a strict numerical cap on their caseloads. The key provision explicitly states that no GAL may serve more than twenty children at the same time, replacing the previous lack of a specific limit in the law. This change aims to ensure adequate attention for each child through defined capacity rules.