Governor signed nursing compact bill by Friday deadline

• The bill had bipartisan support

Gov. Susana Martinez was joined Friday by legislative leaders from both parties and the bill’s sponsors as she signed bipartisan legislation to ensure that nurses certified in other states can continue to work in New Mexico.

“The efficient passage of this bill shows what is possible when the Legislature has the desire to move forward,” Martinez said. “This legislation will keep New Mexico current with the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact so nurses from other states will be able to continue to come to our state and provide valuable care to our families and communities.”

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senators Gay Kernan, Republican from Hobbs, Stuart Ingle, Republican from Portales, and Howie Morales, Democrat from Silver City, allows for multistate licensure reciprocity for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and vocational nurses to ensure that nurses certified in other states can continue to work in New Mexico.

This legislation will build on Martinez’s efforts to bolster New Mexico’s healthcare workforce. These and other initiatives include: a statewide voluntary community health worker training and certification program; expanded access to telemedicine services; more residency slots for physicians and nurse practitioners; increased loan-for-service programs and loan repayment efforts to recruit more nurses and nurse practitioners, doctors and other healthcare professionals to New Mexico; and a common nursing curriculum across the state so that colleges and universities can train more qualified nurses.