It is now easier for professionals to obtain credentials and work in the state, thanks to New Mexico legislators.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) signed a regulatory reform bill to expedite the review and processing of professional licenses in the state. The governor directed the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department to streamline its business regulations for permitting and licensing. House Bill 191 (HB 191) offers an easier review process for qualified applicants seeking professional licenses in New Mexico.
“New Mexico is a business-friendly state, and we are delivering on streamlined professional licensing practices that make our state a more attractive place to live and work,” Lujan Grisham said in a press release from her office. “I thank the Legislature for its unanimous support of House Bill 191.”
The highlights of HB 191 are: it removes barriers related to licensure that are unrelated to the profession; provides nurses an expedited license to practice in New Mexico; makes changes to the grounds for refusal to issue, renew, suspend, or revoke a license; eliminates the requirement of four years of high school for cosmetologist instructor and barber instructor applicants; and provides the opportunity for licensure for those who are in good standing and have practiced without complaints to transfer their licenses and easily start working after a move, according to the bill's text.
“By expediting licensure requests, we can strengthen our workforce in critical areas,” House Majority Whip Doreen Gallegos said. “This law will help us address our nursing shortage right away, making healthcare more accessible for all New Mexicans.”
