The New Mexico Senate convened on March 5, 2025, to address several key issues, including confirmations and legislation related to healthcare, education, and state investment procedures. The session marked the first edition of the New Mexico Senate Floor Wrap for the 57th Legislature, a daily summary provided by the New Mexico Senate Majority Communications Office.
A significant development was the unanimous confirmation of Mariana Padilla as Secretary of the Public Education Department. The vote concluded with a tally of 40-0 in favor. President Pro Tempore Senator Mimi Stewart introduced Padilla by highlighting her extensive background in education and public service. Stewart said, "Mariana is one of us – she’s an educator, her parents are educators, her siblings are educators. We had 28 letters of support, which doesn’t happen in the Senate Rules Committee, including 10 from Pueblo governors and the Navajo Nation, and we had her whole family."
Padilla's career includes experience as an elementary school teacher in Albuquerque’s South Valley. She has also served as Director of the New Mexico Children’s Cabinet and Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Additionally, she has been a key congressional liaison working with communities across New Mexico.
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