Senate Bill 345 would extend licensure reciprocity to instructional support providers so that educational licensure earned in other states could be accepted in New Mexico. Sponsor Senator Figueroa described the change as mirroring existing teacher reciprocity language but applying it to the broader class of instructional support roles, which includes coaches, counselors, psychologists and occupational therapists.

Deputy Secretary Amanda Bell and other education officials stood as expert witnesses to explain the bill’s scope. The bill’s language would allow reciprocity only for the educational licensure component; it would not create interstate medical‑licensure reciprocity for professions that require a separate medical or clinical license. Senator Figueroa noted that medical reciprocity is a separate issue because interstate compacts and compacts’ membership vary by profession and state.

Greg Frost, assistant secretary of education at PED, testified in strong support and said the state needs instructional support providers in addition to teachers. “Anything we can do to make sure that our students are able to receive the services they need to be successful in school will help our academic outcomes,” Frost said.

The bill also preserves local authority to require site mentorship periods: a local superintendent may require a mentorship period for a reciprocal licensee if the superintendent deems it necessary. Committee members asked about how reciprocity would handle variant titles and differing scopes of work from other states (for example, early‑childhood classroom assistants or special‑education paraprofessionals). Witnesses said licensure officers in the relevant state agencies would review reciprocity requests on a case‑by‑case basis and that both early‑childhood and K–12 licensing experts would be involved when necessary.

The committee recorded a do‑pass motion on Senate Bill 345 with no opposition recorded during the committee action. Supporters included the New Mexico School Board Association, AFT New Mexico and Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, who told the committee the change would expand the pipeline of eligible instructional staff and support recruitment and retention.

Committee discussion clarified that some licenses still require examinations or additional state‑specific requirements (for example, reading examinations for elementary teachers), and that teacher preparation programs may use either end‑of‑program examinations or a portfolio/dossier pathway for some licensure routes. The bill’s sponsors and witnesses emphasized that reciprocity for the educational license will speed hiring but will not eliminate professional or medical licensure requirements when those are separately required.