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New Mexico is the only state in the country that does not pay its lawmakers. For years, legislators have tried to change that – and failed. This year’s session isn’t looking any different.
Paying legislators requires changing the state constitution, which also requires voter approval. Senate Joint Resolution 1 would ask voters to approve a commission that would set and regulate lawmaker salaries.
It passed the Senate Rules Committee in a 7-2 vote with substitutions, but in the Senate Finance Committee it got tied up in a 5-5 vote with one lawmaker absent. The session is winding down, and the clock is ticking.
Every other state pays lawmakers, although the pay ranges from a nominal amount for part-time legislators to real salaries in states that meet more frequently than our legislature does. So why does it matter? Sen. Bill Soules (D- Doña Ana) said it’s about change.
“If we were to pay legislators and open up opportunities for other people, it changes the power dynamics. There are some who do not want to see this go forward,” Soules said.
Soules has been a legislator for 12 years now, and was a public school teacher for his first four. He says that he would support a resolution to create salaries for lawmakers, even if it didn’t affect his time as an elected official.
“As the state moves forward, we need to move with the times. We need to make sure that the representation in the legislature represents the people more. I don’t think it’s something to be proud of, that we’re the last ones that are unpaid, and then we expect to get great results out of our legislature. We need to do more to professionalize it,” said Soules.
You might think this is a partisan issue, like many topics in politics today, but Sen. Jay Block (R- Rio Rancho), a Republican freshman, says many Democrats and Republicans agree on this issue.
“It is a lot of work, and that’s okay. That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to do work. But how many people can really afford to take 30 days or 60 days off from their jobs to go serve, and they want to serve,” said Block.
In addition to the annual sessions, there are interim committee hearings around the state all year.
Block pointed out that the per diem, a $200 daily allowance for New Mexico lawmakers, is more than the $100 “salary” paid to New Hampshire lawmakers. But compared to our neighbors in Arizona who make $24,000 and California lawmakers who make over $120,000 a year, it can feel demoralizing.
On top of that, Santa Fe is one of the most expensive places in the country to stay, especially during the winter tourist season.
With the last election the Roundhouse became one of the only legislatures in the country with a female majority.
Sen. Heather Berghmans (D- Bernalillo) is a new lawmaker AND a new mother. She said, “Maybe that’s because men won’t do this job for free,” when asked about the gender balance in the legislature.
Despite the female majority, mothers like her are not well-represented. Some have left over the strain of holding a job, caring for children, and being a lawmaker.
“We’re always juggling how to balance that family relationship, of course, with our work. But it’s really important also to have our perspectives in the Roundhouse, because everyone’s fighting for the next generation of New Mexicans, and we’re watching them and raising them right now,” said Berghmans.
KUNM spoke with 10 lawmakers from both parties and many agreed that a paid legislature would improve opportunities for better representation.
Rep. Eleanor Chávez (D-Bernalillo) says this is a fundamental question of values:
“What kind of a legislature do we want? We want a legislature that represents the community, that represents the diversity of our state. And without a paid legislature, it’s going to be difficult to continue to be able to do that,” said Chavez.
The lawmaker who was absent for the Senate Finance Committee could make a motion to reconsider the joint resolution. One of the sponsors has started a similar resolution in the House, but it has yet to be heard and the session ends on March 22nd.
This is a journey lawmakers, and organizations like Common Cause, a group that focuses on good government, have been on for years. But it doesn’t look like they’ll be crossing the finish line anytime soon.
Follow Mia Casas on BlueSky @mcasas03.bsky.social and on Facebook @MiaAmor.Casas
Mia Casas is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Journalism and Theatre at the University of New Mexico. She became a student reporter at KUNM News in 2023 after she was awarded a New Mexico Local News Internship.
