Senate committee preserves $5 million annual distribution to apprenticeship trust fund, adds statutory priorities for student housing

The Senate Finance Committee voted to recommend passage of House Bill 7, which would keep the statutory annual distribution to the Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Trust Fund at $5,000,000 for fiscal 2027 and subsequent years. Senator Michael Padilla presented the bill and credited Representative Garrett and other sponsors for work on the legislation.

Sarita Nair of the Workforce Solutions Department told the committee the fund started at $30,000,000, that the committee had taken out $5,000,000, and that the balance stood at "a little over 22,000,000," and she praised the State Investment Council's investment performance. Committee members asked whether the budgeted $300,000,000 in appropriations and bonding authority would cover items that the statute places as priorities; agency staff said the $300,000,000 in the budget provides appropriations and bonding authority and that the bill establishes an eligibility and application process for the statewide capital outlay process.

A separate amendment added explicit student-housing and student-life priorities and inserted dollar-line items in statute as legislative priorities (not direct appropriations): the amendment listed $20,000,000 for the University of New Mexico stadium, $10,000,000 for Eastern New Mexico student housing and student-life projects, $10,000,000 for New Mexico Highlands University student housing and life projects, and $10,000,000 for Western New Mexico University student housing and life projects. Committee members were careful to note these priorities are placed in statute but would remain subject to appropriation.

Senator Steinborn moved a "do pass" recommendation on HB 7, seconded by Senator Padilla. The committee recorded a roll-call vote: eight senators voted in the affirmative, none in the negative, and the committee advanced the bill with the amendment in place. The bill proceeds to the next legislative stage where appropriations or further actions would be decided.