New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 24 / December 23, 2025

 

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

 

Public Notice:  The New Mexico State Personnel Board will hold a public hearing on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.  The meeting will be held in person in the Willie Ortiz Auditorium, 2600 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505.

 

Purpose of Rule Hearing:  The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public input on the proposed amendments to 1.7.1 NMAC – General Provisions, the proposed amendments to 1.7.3 NMAC – Classification, and the proposed amendments of 1.7.4 NMAC – Pay.

 

Statutory Authority:  Personnel Act, Sections10-9-10, 10-9-12, and 10-9-13 NMSA 1978.

 

Purpose of the Proposed Amendments:  The purpose of these changes is to provide a procedure for making certain trainings mandatory, to clarify roles and obligations of the State Personnel Board and the State Personnel Office Director, and to provide compensation for multi-lingual duties.

 

Summary of Proposed Changes to 1.7.1 NMAC General Provisions:  The section being substantively amended is: Section 1.7.1.15, providing the State Personnel Office Director with the authority to prescribe mandatory training courses for classified service employees.

 

Summary of Proposed Changes to 1.7.3 NMAC Classification:  The sections being substantively amended are: Section 1.7.3.8, stating the State personal Office shall appoint and train a job evaluation review committee to submit recommendations to the State Personnel Office director on created, revised, and deleted class descriptions; Section 1.7.3.9, clarifying that an appeal of a position assignment decision as a result of a classification study must be submitted within 60 days of the implementation of the class study.

 

Summary of Proposed Changes to 1.7.4 NMAC Pay:  The sections being substantively amended are: Section 1.7.4.9, removing the job evaluation committee to determine the assignment of pay bands and replacing it with a market-based analysis to determine the assignment of pay bands; Section 1.7.4.12, clarifying that a salary increase of less than five percent shall require approval of the State Personnel Office director and how many times an agency may increase an employee’s base salary per fiscal year; Section 1.7.4.13, authorizing an Agency to pay a differential of $0.35 per hour to an employee who has been assigned to perform multi-lingual duties.

 

How to Comment on the Proposed Rules:  Public comment addressing the proposed rule changes can be made in person using the Public Comment sign-in sheet, by mail to Denise Forlizzi, State Personnel Office, 2600 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 or by emailing your comment to DeniseM.Forlizzi@spo.nm.gov by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 5, 2026.  Email comments must include the subject line, “Rule Changes to 1.7.X NMAC”, the commenter’s name and contact information.

 

Copies of Proposed Rules:  Copies of the proposed rules are available for download on the State Personnel Office’s website at www.spo.state.nm.us.  A copy of the proposed rules may also be requested by contacting Denise Forlizzi by phone at (505) 365-3691 or by email DeniseM.Forlizzi@spo.nm.gov.

 

Special Needs: Individuals who require this information in an alternative format or need any form of auxiliary aid to attend or participate in the public hearing are asked to contact Denise Forlizzi at (505) 365-3691 as soon as possible to allow adequate time to provide the requested accommodation(s).