Constitutional Amendment asks voters to remove PED from the executive branch

SANTA FE—Today, in a near unanimous show of support, the New Mexico Senate advanced Senate Joint Resolution 9 on a vote of 36-1. The bill, introduced by Senator Steven Neville (R-Farmington) and Senator Bill Soules (D-Las Cruces), proposes an amendment to the Constitution of New Mexico to remove the Public Education Department from the executive branch and establish an elected and appointed state board of education.

“I am grateful to my Senate colleagues for their support of this proposition,” said Senator Neville. “This is a positive step forward in ensuring continuity in education so our students are not subjected to the political instability between administrations. I urge my colleagues in the House to support this landmark legislation and I hope the voters will approve this measure come November.”

“By advancing this legislation, the Senate has issued a clear vote of no confidence in the ability of any executive to fix our broken education system,” added Senate Republican Whip, Senator Craig Brandt (R- Rio Rancho), a former school board member. “New Mexico remains at the bottom in education nationally while other states, such as Mississippi, have gradually improved their outcomes. The sad reality is, we have lost a generation of students to our failing system and it’s time we make some real changes.”