New
Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 20 / October 21, 2025
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC RULE HEARING AND BOARD MEETING
The
New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners will hold a rule hearing on Thursday,
December 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., immediately followed by a meeting of the
board to consider any public comment and adoption of the proposed rule listed
below. Public participation is welcomed, and comments may be submitted in
writing during the public comment period, or in person during the public rule
hearing. The hearing and subsequent meeting will take place at the Regulation
and Licensing Department, Rio Grande Conference Room, located at 2550 Cerrillos
Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505.
The
meeting will also be held via Microsoft Teams for those desiring to attend
virtually.
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2242252073182?p=I6uB0rXnVYCGWzSBst
Meeting
ID: 224 225 207 318 2
Passcode:
kr3kG2Pg
Dial
in by phone
+1
505-312-4308,,433485593# United States, Albuquerque
Phone
conference ID: 433 485 593#
The
purpose of the rule hearing is to consider the initiation of rulemaking for the
following rules:
16.63.8
Fee
The
agenda for the rule hearing and board meeting will be posted and available at
least 72 hours before the meeting on the Board website at https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/social-work-examiners/board-information/
. Copies of the agenda
may also be obtained by contacting Roxann Ortiz at 505-795-5576.
The Board
of Social Work Examiners will begin accepting public comments regarding the
proposed rule changes on November 11, 2025. The Board of Social Work Examiners
will accept written public comments received by 10:00 a.m. on December 11,
2025. Written comments may be submitted by email to socialworkboard@rld.nm.gov or by postal mail to the following address:
New
Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
Attn: New
Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners
P.O. Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Public
comment will also be accepted during the rule hearing and may be presented
orally, or in writing. Individuals who would like to participate and offer
public comment must appear in person. The
members of the New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners will not engage in
substantive discussion of public comments during the rule hearing but will
consider all public comments during the board meeting following the conclusion
of the rule hearing.
For inclement weather: If New Mexico state
offices are placed on a two-hour delay due to inclement weather, the rule
hearing will be pushed back two hours from the noticed hearing time. If New
Mexico state offices are closed due to inclement weather, the rule hearing will
be rescheduled as soon as possible.
An
individual with a disability who is in need of a
reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or other form of
auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing, please contact
Roxann Ortiz at 505-795-5576.
Statutory
Authority:
The
proposed rule changes are authorized by the Social Work Practice Act, Sections
61-31-1 through 61-31-25 NMSA 1978 (2023), which provides explicit authority
for the board to promulgate rules to protect public health and safety and carry
out the provisions of the Act. Section 61-31-8 specifically gives the Board
authority to adopt and file rules necessary to carry out the provision of the
Act. The rulemaking and public rule hearing is governed by the State Rules Act,
Sections 14-4-1 through 14-4-11 NMSA 1978, and the Default Procedural Rule for
Rulemaking promulgated by the New Mexico Department of Justice, Parts 1.24.25.1
through 1.24.25.16 NMAC.
Purpose
of the Proposed Rules:
The
proposed rule changes are intended to add an administrative fee for electronic
processing to allow the board to pay for the ongoing maintenance and licensing
of the NM-Plus system.
Summary
of Proposed Changes:
16.63.8
NMAC Fee:
Changes
to this rule will allow for a ten dollar ($10) administrative fee for
electronic processing per year to fund the ongoing maintenance and licensing of
the NM-Plus system.