HOUSE BILL 537

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Raymundo Lara and Eleanor Chávez

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; REQUIRING POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO DESIGNATE HIGHER EDUCATION LIAISONS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS; PRESCRIBING DUTIES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] HIGHER EDUCATION LIAISON.--

          A. Each post-secondary educational institution enumerated in Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico, except the New Mexico military institute, New Mexico school for the blind and visually impaired and New Mexico school for the deaf, shall designate one full-time-equivalent staff member to act as a higher education liaison for current and incoming students experiencing homelessness. The staff member shall be designated from one of the following offices or departments within the institution:

                (1) financial aid;

                (2) student services or affairs;

                (3) student housing; or

                (4) any other appropriate office capable of performing the liaison's duties.

          B. The higher education liaison shall:

                (1) identify and contact students who indicated being homeless or at risk of homelessness on a free application for federal student aid;

                (2) inform incoming and enrolled students experiencing homelessness about resources and assistance available on campus and within the community in meeting basic needs;

                (3) assist students experiencing homelessness with completing applications for other available financial aid;

                (4) assist students experiencing homelessness with managing coursework; and

                (5) publish training materials for faculty and staff of the institution to recognize signs of homelessness in students and refer the students to the higher education liaison and publish information about on-campus and community resources for students experiencing homelessness.

          C. The higher education department shall:

                (1) work with the New Mexico basic needs consortium to provide training to ensure best practices by the higher education liaisons, faculty and staff regarding students experiencing homelessness; and

                (2) administer an annual survey regarding students experiencing homelessness and publish a report of the survey on the higher education department's website.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the higher education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2026 to provide training to higher education liaisons, faculty and staff regarding students experiencing homelessness. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2026 shall revert to the general fund.

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