New Mexico State Senator Pat Woods has expressed concerns regarding House Bill 207, which mandates that schools accommodate students based on their gender identity. In a December 9 opinion piece published on the New Mexico Senate Republicans' website, Woods said that the bill presents significant financial and logistical challenges for schools across the state.
"It has been brought to my attention that school districts are struggling to adhere and adjust to 2023's House Bill 207, an expansion of our state's Human Rights Act," said Woods, District 7 NM State Senator. "This forces public schools (and all other public facilities) to allow students to use bathrooms opposite of their gender at birth who wish to do so. One single school district in the area I represent estimated this undertaking would cost approximately $15 Million to accomplish. The party to blame is the legislature, specifically the progressive lawmakers who created and pushed this measure through without due diligence to address these very real consequences."
House Bill 207, enacted in March of last year, expanded the New Mexico Human Rights Act to include "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" as protected classes against discrimination. This law requires public institutions, including schools, to accommodate individuals based on their gender identity, impacting policies related to facilities such as restrooms.
State Sen. Pat Woods on the challenges New Mexico school districts face in implementing House Bill 207
| https://nmsenategop.com/2024/12/09/opinion-transgender-bathrooms-in-schools-a-complex-issue/
According to The New Mexico Political Report, several school districts in New Mexico have encountered difficulties in complying with House Bill 207. School administrators have reported challenges in balancing the rights of transgender students with privacy concerns for all students. Additionally, they have faced obstacles in securing funding for necessary facility modifications and staff training.
The New Mexico Education website reports that during the 2024 legislative session, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed two new education laws, while four additional bills are awaiting her signature. Out of 777 introduced bills, only five related to education were passed.
Senator Woods has represented District 7 since 2012 and is recognized for his conservative views on social and economic issues. According to his official biography, Woods holds a degree in agricultural economics from New Mexico State University and is a rancher and farmer from Broadview, NM. He has been married to his wife, Eva, for over five decades.
