BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STUDENT STIPENDS

HB 397 appropriates $2 million from the general fund to the New Mexico Higher Education Department for stipends to undergraduate and graduate behavioral health students. It directly affects students completing required training, supervision, or practical experience needed to obtain professional licensure in behavioral health fields. The stipends are funded for fiscal year 2026 only, with any unspent funds reverting to the general fund. The bill was referred to committees and later postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.