Bernalillo County commissioners unanimously back letter urging state licensure reciprocity to ease health workforce shortages and aid military spouses

Bernalillo County commissioners voted unanimously to approve a letter urging New Mexico lawmakers to support interstate professional licensure reciprocity, a step supporters said would make it easier for military spouses and other licensed professionals to work in the state and help relieve staffing shortages at hospitals and clinics including the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH).

Supporters told the commission that some incoming licensed professionals must sit for New Mexico licensing exams that can take three to six months, delaying their ability to work. Vice Chair Barboa said the compacts under consideration would expand access to licensed practitioners across the state and specifically cited benefits for Kirtland Air Force Base families and metro-area facilities.

“Those bills would bring greater access to more licensed providers for our entire state,” Vice Chair Barboa said, listing occupational and rehabilitative fields and other licensed professions that would be affected. Barboa named audiology and speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work, psychology, teaching, nursing (including registered nurses), cosmetology, dental and dental hygienist licenses as among those that could be covered under the reciprocity measures.

Commissioners and speakers said the change could reduce staffing pressure at UNMH, detention facilities and other county service providers. One commissioner noted that nearly half of U.S. jurisdictions already recognize some form of licensure reciprocity, and that the county has previously lobbied on related matters. Another speaker referenced work with a national military spouse lawyers group and with state legislators to advance reciprocity in recent years.

Commissioners also acknowledged a procedural hurdle: similar proposals have stalled in the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee. Vice Chair Barboa asked commissioners and attendees to speak with members of that committee, particularly the chair, to help move the bills forward in the Legislature.

The motion on the letter passed on a roll-call vote: Commissioner Frank Baca — yes; Commissioner Barbara Baca — yes; Commissioner Benson — yes; Vice Chair Barboa — yes; Chair Olivos — yes.

The commission directed staff to finalize the letter and gather signatures from all five commissioners to send to the speaker of the New Mexico House and the president pro tempore of the New Mexico Senate.