SENATE BILL 115

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Michael Padilla

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; REQUIRING A SOCIAL WORKER IN EVERY HIGH-POVERTY PUBLIC SCHOOL; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SOCIAL WORKER IN EVERY HIGH-POVERTY PUBLIC SCHOOL--DEFINITION--IMPLEMENTATION--EXCEPTION.--

          A. As used in this section, "high-poverty public school" means a public school in which eighty-five percent or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced-fee meals.

          B. Except as provided in Subsection C of this section, the department shall verify that every high-poverty public school in New Mexico has employed a licensed social worker. Employing social workers in every high-poverty public school shall be phased in over a three-year period as determined by department rule as follows:

                (1) effective with the 2014-2015 school year, one-third of New Mexico's high-poverty public schools shall employ a social worker;

                (2) effective with the 2015-2016 school year, two-thirds of New Mexico's high-poverty public schools shall employ a social worker; and

                (3) effective with the 2016-2017 school year, every New Mexico high-poverty public school shall employ a social worker.

          C. The department may develop exceptions to the requirements of this section for small rural school districts with a MEM of 200 or less."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Three million dollars ($3,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for the purpose of implementing the requirement that every high-poverty public school shall employ a licensed social worker. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2015 shall revert to the general fund.

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