House adopts memorial honoring nurses, health care workers on unanimous final passage

The New Mexico House of Representatives adopted a memorial recognizing nurses and other frontline health care workers, voting 70 in the affirmative and 0 in the negative on final passage of House Memorial 3. The measure was presented on the floor and approved after members offered remarks in support.

Several members spoke in favor of the memorial, describing personal and family connections to the nursing profession and the importance of supporting nursing careers. Representative Gonzalez rose in support and asked the chamber to recognize District 1199 nurses and United Healthcare workers in the gallery. Representative Chatfield said both of his daughters are registered nurses and noted that nursing can lead to further clinical training, saying it is “a good career” that the state needs more of. Representative Lujan, who identified her mother as a former president of the nurses’ union (1199) for 13 years, thanked nurses in the gallery and said lawmakers should ensure legislation supports health care workers.

The sponsor closed debate by asking unanimous consent for the body to record itself as voting in the affirmative and noted her cosponsor, Patricia Arroyo Caballero, chair of the House Labor committee, as a supporter of the memorial. After the Speaker opened and then closed the final‑passage vote, the clerk announced the tally as 70‑0 and declared House Memorial 3 duly passed the House.

The memorial is ceremonial; there was no accompanying appropriation or regulatory change announced on the floor. The House did not record any amendments to the memorial during floor debate. The chamber then continued with recognitions and routine announcements.