New Mexico legislation · 2026 Regular Session
New Mexico HB185: PED SECRETARY & LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
Status: Failed, February 9, 2026
What the bill says
An act relating to public schools; authorizing the secretary of public education to require a local school board member to take remedial action if the secretary has reasonable grounds to believe the member is willfully failing to perform a duty required by a law that the secretary is charged with enforcing; authorizing the secretary of public education to suspend a local school board member if the member fails to take the required remedial action and providing procedures for the suspension.
From the introduced text, January 27, 2026:
AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO REQUIRE A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION IF THE SECRETARY HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THE MEMBER IS WILLFULLY FAILING TO PERFORM A DUTY REQUIRED BY A LAW THAT THE SECRETARY IS CHARGED WITH ENFORCING; AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO SUSPEND A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IF THE MEMBER FAILS TO TAKE THE REQUIRED REMEDIAL ACTION AND PROVIDING PROCEDURES FOR THE SUSPENSION. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO: SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code, Section 22-2-14.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read: "22-2-14.1. [NEW MATERIAL] SUSPENSION OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.-- .232641.2 wen = lairetam derocsrednu eteled = ]lairetam detekcarb[ A. If the secretary has reasonable grounds to believe a local school board member is willfully failing to perform a duty required by the Public School Code or any other law or rule that the secretary is charged with administering or enforcing, the secretary shall give written notice to the member that details the member's failures, requires remedial action and specifies the time during which remedial action shall be taken, which shall be no less than thirty days. Copies of the written notice shall be given to the member's local school board …
Sponsors
- Susan Herrera (D, 41) · primary sponsor
- (R, HD-008)