Committee advances bill to provide free high-school-equivalency tests to New Mexicans

The House Education Committee voted to give House Bill 167 a do-pass recommendation after hearing testimony that eliminating fees for high-school-equivalency testing would increase credential attainment and help workforce entry for adults and youth experiencing homelessness.

HB 167 requires the Higher Education Department to provide free high-school-equivalency tests (GED or HiSET) for New Mexicans who are at least 16 years old, not currently enrolled in secondary school, have not earned a high-school diploma or equivalency and have passed the official practice test that indicates likelihood of success. The bill includes an appropriation of $2,000,000 from the general fund to the Higher Education Department; committee members noted the item is in the governor's executive budget and further budget work is pending.

Witnesses said cost and limited access to testing centers are barriers for many prospective test-takers. "The entire battery of tests, plus the fee in any practice tests, cost at least $145 and sometimes more," said Amber Gallup, director of adult education at the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Gallup said other states that eliminated testing fees saw immediate increases in the number of adults earning equivalency credentials.

Advocates described the potential benefits for specific populations. Monet Silva of the Coalition to End Homelessness said nearly 10,000 youth experienced homelessness in New Mexico in 2024 and free testing could help those young people obtain credentials that increase employment options and housing stability. Jamie Trujillo of the New Mexico Adult Education Association, which represents 26 adult-education programs, said the existing voucher system is administratively difficult to use and that a centralized free-testing program would increase annual graduates.

Committee members asked how residency would be verified and how test preparation would be ensured. Sponsors and HED said residency is verified through the test publishers' registration systems (GED and HiSET), which require addresses and contain fraud-protection checks. HED said roughly half of test-takers are prepared through state-funded adult-education programs and that the bill would require practice-test scores showing readiness before a person could access a free exam.

Representative Garrett presented the bill and Amber Gallup answered questions about program design and rollout. Representative Baca moved a do-pass recommendation; Representative Gonzales seconded. No committee members objected to the motion and the committee approved the bill to advance.

Supporters argued the appropriation is an investment that will increase lifetime earnings and state tax receipts because adults who obtain a high-school diploma or equivalency earn, on average, more annually. HED officials and witnesses said the appropriation is expected to increase access, expand mobile and rural testing centers and replace the current voucher system with a simpler, free-testing program.