New
Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 22 / November 18, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RULE
HEARING AND BOARD MEETING
The
New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board and the Regulations and
Licensing Department will hold a rule hearing on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 11:00
a.m., immediately followed by a meeting of the Signed Language Interpreting Practices
Board for adoption of the proposed rules listed below. The hearing and subsequent board meeting will
be held at the Regulation and Licensing Department, located at 5500 San Antonio
Dr. NE., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109.
The
meeting will also be held via Microsoft Teams for those desiring to attend
virtually.
Meeting
Link: https: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_M2VjNmViMDAtMzVkOC00YWQ1LWFiYTYtMzUwODNmODVkNWNl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2204aa6bf4-d436-426f-bfa4-04b7a70e60ff%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f2bc0bd3-22ab-403d-bd06-7bb3d078e5e1%22%7d
Or
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting
Meeting
ID: 214 609 745 429 5
Passcode:
QH2tu3Fu
Dial
in by phone
+1
505-312-4308,917686325# United States, Albuquerque
Phone
conference ID: 917 686 325#
The
purpose of the rule hearing is to consider the initiation of rulemaking for the
following rules:
Rule
16.28.1 NMAC - General Provisions
Rule
16.28.2 NMAC - Licensure Requirements
Rule
16.28.3 NMAC - Requirements for Establishments
Rule
16.28.4 NMAC - Enforcement, Complaints and Disciplinary Action
Rule
16.28.6 NMAC - Fees
Rule
16.28.7 NMAC - Licensure for Military Service Members, Spouses and Veterans
On
Friday, December 5, 2025, copies of the proposed rules may be obtained through
the New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board website at https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/signed-language-interpreting-practices/board-information/signed-language-interpreting-practices-board-meetings/
or by contacting the Board Administrator, Emma Quintana at signlanguage@rld.nm.gov
or (505) 476-4622.
The
New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board and Regulation and
Licensing Department will begin accepting written public comment regarding the
proposed rule changes on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. and ending Saturday,
January 3, 2026, 8:00 a.m. Written
comments may be submitted by email to signlanguage.board@rld.nm.gov or by
postal mail to the following address:
New
Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
Attn:
New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices
P.O. Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Written
Comments received during the public comment period (December 5, 2025 - January
3, 2026) will be posted to the website page above. Public comments will also be accepted during
the rule hearing and may be submitted in writing or presented orally by those
attending in-person. The members of the
New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board will not enter
substantive discussion of public comments during the rule hearing but will
consider and deliberate any public comment during the regular board meeting
immediately following the conclusion of the public rule hearing.
The
agenda for the New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board regular
meeting, which will begin immediately after the public rule hearing, will be
available no less than 72 hours prior to the meeting, and available on the
website page above or by contacting the Board Administrator, Emma Quintana at signlanguage.board@rld.nm.gov
or (505) 476-4622.
If
you are an individual with a disability who needs a reader, amplifier,
qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or
service to attend or participate in the hearing or the regular board meeting,
please contact the Board Administrator Emma Quintana at signlanguage.board@rld.nm.gov
(505) 476-4622 at least 7 days prior to the rule hearing and regular board
meeting. Public documents, including the
proposed rules, meeting agenda and minutes, can be provided in various
accessible formats.
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.
Statutory
Authority:
The rule changes are authorized by the Signed
Language Interpreting Practices Act (Act), Section 61-34-1 through 61-34-17
NMSA 1978, which provides explicit authority for the Signed Language
Interpreting Practices Board to protect public health and safety and adopt
rules for the administration 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 update and expand definitions; modernize
the licensure process by requiring online applications and remove outdated
references to paper applications; and add a $35.00 fee for returned checks, and
a $10.00 administrative electronic licensing fee per year. More generally, the
proposed rules are intended to provide greater clarity in existing regulatory
and statutory requirements, ensure continued high levels of professionalism
among licensees and certificate holders, and to generally satisfy the Board’s
statutory obligation to promote, preserve and protect the public health, safety
and welfare.
Summary
of Proposed Changes:
16.28.1
NMAC - General Provisions. Clarify the definition of ‘quorum”.
16.28.2
NMAC - Education and Continuing Education Requirements. Update language.
16.28.3
NMAC - Application and Licensure Requirements. Update language to reflect
that applications are on an online licensing system.
16.28.4
NMAC - Complaint Procedures; Adjudicatory Proceedings. Shorten complaint
response times, and allow immediate license suspension for serious risk, while
also explicitly stating that continuing
education non-compliance is subject to discipline.
16.28.6
NMAC - Fees. Add two additional fees, first, a $35.00 fee for returned checks,
and the second fee is a $10.00 administrative electronic licensing fee per
year. Also introduce the standard for auditing continuing education
requirements for license renewal.
16.28.7
NMAC - Update language to reflect that
applications are on an online
licensing system.