# New Mexico SB 64: CREATE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

New Mexico SB 64, CREATE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mimi Stewart (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-03-09 (Signed by Governor - Chapter 55 - Mar. 9) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-SB64-2026
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: New Mexico SB 64
- State: New Mexico
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: CREATE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-22
- Last action: 2026-03-09, Signed by Governor - Chapter 55 - Mar. 9
- Sponsor: Mimi Stewart (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (100 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Dyslexia screening and reading help for children: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the law carries forward annual dyslexia screening for every first grader, required since 2019–2020. Children showing dyslexia signs and trouble reading, writing, spelling, understanding speech, or expressing thoughts get classroom support or a student assistance team referra…
- State oversight for students with disabilities: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, New Mexico creates an Office of Special Education within its Public Education Department. A deputy secretary appointed by the education secretary leads the office. It oversees equal opportunity, free appropriate public education, and enforcement of disability education and a…
- New limits on gifted students’ services: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, New Mexico’s special education framework uses federal disability-based definitions. Gifted status alone no longer qualifies a student for services through that framework. Gifted students who also qualify based on a disability remain covered. Separate state support for gifted…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mimi Stewart (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cindy Nava (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy Garratt (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Final House Vote | pass | 62 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Final Senate Vote | pass | 38 | 1 |   |

## Actions (10)

- 2026-03-09: Signed by Governor - Chapter 55 - Mar. 9 (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Passed in the House of Representatives - Y:62 N:1 (House)
- 2026-02-13: HEC: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation (House)
- 2026-02-09: HGEIC: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation (House)
- 2026-02-05: Sent to HGEIC - Referrals: HGEIC/HEC (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Passed in the Senate - Y:38 N:1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: SFC: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation with amendment(s) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: SEC: Reported by committee with Do Pass recommendation with amendment(s) (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: SCC: Reported by committee to fall within the purview of a 30 day session (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: Sent to SCC - Referrals: SCC/SEC/SFC (Senate)

## Bill text

- Final Version, 2026-03-09: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/final/SB0064.pdf)
- HEC Committee Report 2/13/26, 2026-02-13: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064EC1.pdf)
- HGEIC Committee Report 2/09/26, 2026-02-09: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064GE1.pdf)
- SFC Committee Report 2/02/26, 2026-02-02: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064FC1.pdf)
- SEC Committee Report 1/28/26, 2026-01-28: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064ED1.pdf)
- SCC Committee Report 1/23/26, 2026-01-23: [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064CC1.pdf)
- Introduced, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064.html), [PDF](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 151: CORPORATE INCOME TAX CHANGES (signed)
- HB 2: GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2026 (signed)
- SB 241: CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACT (signed)
- SB 96: REGULATED CHILD CARE ZONING REQUIREMENTS (signed)
- HB 248: GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (signed)
- HB 30: TEACHER RESIDENCY ACT CHANGES (signed)

## Sources
- [Final Version (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/final/SB0064.pdf)
- [HEC Committee Report 2/13/26 (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064EC1.pdf)
- [HGEIC Committee Report 2/09/26 (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064GE1.pdf)
- [SFC Committee Report 2/02/26 (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064FC1.pdf)
- [SEC Committee Report 1/28/26 (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064ED1.pdf)
- [SCC Committee Report 1/23/26 (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064CC1.pdf)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064.html)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0064.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 151: CORPORATE INCOME TAX CHANGES](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-SB151-2026)
- [HB 2: GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2026](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-HB2-2026)
- [SB 241: CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACT](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-SB241-2026)
- [SB 96: REGULATED CHILD CARE ZONING REQUIREMENTS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-SB96-2026)
- [HB 248: GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-HB248-2026)
- [HB 30: TEACHER RESIDENCY ACT CHANGES](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-HB30-2026)
- [New Mexico bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-mexico/bills)
- [New Mexico state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-mexico)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NM-SB64-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).