SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICY CHANGES

HB 490 requires New Mexico public schools to revise discipline policies to prohibit discrimination or disparate treatment based on race, religion, culture, disability, home language, gender, income level, or specific hairstyles (like braids or locs) and religious headwear (like hijabs). It mandates that schools develop policies with parent and student input, ban corporal punishment, and create a confidential online portal for reporting racially motivated incidents. The bill also allows students to self-administer prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication under specific safety conditions, with schools required to provide backup medication. The bill was referred to committees but was postponed indefinitely on June 3, 2025.