Legislation requires governor’s signature before becoming law

A budget that authorizes average 6% pay raises for educators and state workers. More classroom time for students. Boosting the minimum wage of teaching assistants from $12,000 to $25,000 a year.

Those are among the measures that made it through this year’s 60-day legislative session before lawmakers adjourned at noon on Saturday. Bills making it through the Legislature by the deadline still need to be signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in order to become law.

The governor has already taken action on some legislation, including signing a bill on Thursday afternoon that requires additional classroom time for students, along with embedded professional development time for teachers.

That legislation, House Bill 130, requires at least 1,140 hours of class time per school year, an increase from the current minimums of 990 hours for elementary schools and 1,080 hours for secondary schools.

State lawmakers also succeeded in their push to boost the pay of licensed instructional assistants at public schools around New Mexico. House Bill127, which has already been signed by the governor, sets a minimum salary for educational assistants at $25,000. The current minimum salary is $12,000.

The governor has also signed House Bill 9, legislation that makes it a crime when someone fails to store firearms out of the reach of children.

Among the biggest pieces of legislation that lawmakers tackle in any regular session is the...

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