LESC publishes post-session memo and quick guide, approves interim meeting schedule and notes staff changes

The Legislative Education Study Committee on April 30 received post-session materials from staff and approved a tentative interim meeting schedule while also noting several staff changes.

State Senator Bill Soult, chair, opened the meeting and confirmed a quorum before the committee approved the April agenda and the January minutes by voice vote. "These are the things that we got done," Soult said after reviewing the staff memo, calling the materials "the easiest I've seen on how to find things." The approvals carried with no recorded opposition.

John Cena, LESC staff director, distributed two documents: a detailed post-session memo that organizes enacted bills, budget line items and appendices, and a shorter "quick guide" intended for superintendents and lay readers that summarizes what passed and what implementation will require. "This is the report on the legislative session," Cena said, and he walked members through the memo's structure, including a high-level budget spreadsheet and a section explaining education-related capital outlay appropriations.

The committee also reviewed a tentative schedule of interim site visits and meetings, including a May stop in Raton, a proposed July visit to Penasco and Taos, an October meeting in Rio Rancho and additional sessions in November and December. Several members urged the staff to make site visits more geographically representative. "We need to be more cognizant of smaller schools," said Senator Candy Spencey, arguing visits should not cluster only along the Rio Grande corridor. Cena said staff will seek panels of regional superintendents for each site and noted lodging constraints can affect location choices.

The committee moved and approved the proposed meeting dates and locations; the chair announced the schedule was approved with no senators recorded in opposition.

Cena delivered a personnel update noting that Mark Montoya, an LESC analyst who led capital outlay work, will depart to become executive policy and strategy officer at the Public School Finance Authority. "We're sad to lose him, but PSFA is getting him," Cena said, adding that Juliana Baca, a committee services and research assistant, is also leaving. Cena said interviews are underway for at least one new analyst and a committee services replacement.

Members praised staff work on the materials and urged the directorand deputies to continue close coordination with appropriations and finance committees to ensure legislative intent is preserved in budget language. The committee paused for a short break and is expected to resume interim business after the recess.