Senate committee advances Jamie Martinez Sibson to full Senate for New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired regent slot

A Senate Rules subcommittee voted to advance Jamie Martinez Sibson to the full Senate for confirmation to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Board of Regents.

Senator Townsend introduced Sibson, noting her long career placing blind and visually impaired adults in competitive employment. Jamie Martinez Sibson told the committee she lives in Alamogordo and is currently the director of the Orientation Center at the New Mexico Commission for the Blind, a position she has held for just over two years. She detailed more than 20 years of vocational-rehabilitation work in Austin, Texas, and said she is a graduate and alumna of the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The committee heard organized support from Heather Miller, superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who said Sibsonwould be an "absolute asset" to the regents because of her lived experience and career work placing blind people into the workforce. Committee members asked Sibson about the school's programs, including the residential campus in Alamogordo and outreach and post-secondary services. Sibson described "competitive integrated employment" as ensuring blind workers have the skills to compete for jobs alongside sighted peers and said the legislature could help by supporting accessible websites and medical equipment and the "Blind Americans Back to Work" initiatives she described.

Senators also asked about student activities and outreach. Sibson said the school offers athletics such as goalball (a sport for blind athletes), swimming and downhill skiing; she said students won a goalball championship this year. On community outreach, Sibson said she has mentored students and parents and works with the National Federation of the Blind.

Senator Duhigg moved to advance Sibson to the full Senate. On a roll call the committee recorded six votes in favor; none were recorded in opposition. The subcommittee announced Sibson will go to a full Senate confirmation vote later the same morning.

Sibson described her goals as helping students and families receive services and continuing to expand programs that move students into competitive, integrated employment.

The subcommittee did not take final confirmation action; the full Senate will consider the nomination at a later floor session.