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Email State Legislators for Change

Updated: Nov 20

Because the attendance law is a state law, the people who can change it are state legislators, and finally the Governor.

A person with their fingers poised above the keyboard of a laptop

Contact Legislators

Lawmakers need to hear families’ stories to understand how it is affecting people. One way to share your story is to email your own legislators, and those on a Committee hearing legislation.


Find Your Legislators

Find your legislators by entering your home address on the legislature website, here: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_My_Legislator

Every district has one Representative and one Senator.

Issue Status

as of Nov. 17, 2025


Legislation Status

Proposed for committee endorsement. Draft bill not yet released.


Legislation Location

Interim Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC)

Email Contacts for Current Committee:

*NOTE: If you email multiple legislators at a time, use the ‘BCC’ line for their addresses*

LESC:

Chair: Senator William P. Soules, bill.soules@nmlegis.gov (Senate District 37); Legislative Aide: Mary Lou Bonacci marylou.bonacci@nmlegis.gov

Vice Chair: Representative G. Andrés Romero, andres.romero@nmlegis.gov (House District 10); Legislative Aide: Mary Wommack mary.wommack@nmlegis.gov

Members:


Advisory Members:


How To Contact Legislators

Web search will give a lot of guidance. Be sure to remain respectful, be clear about the issue and desired action, and include your contact information.


Identify yourself as a constituent of the districts in which you live.


An email template that can be modified


SUBJECT: Parent Concern - Attendance Law Not Considering Medical Conditions

Dear [Lawmaker title & name],

I am a constituent of House District __ and Senate District __, and am writing today as a [parent] who is affected by the Attendance for Success Act.

The attendance law is missing consideration for students with severe medical conditions and other disabilities. Attendance is important and students should be in school. But for some, medical conditions or disabilities make absences unavoidable. The same tiered intervention framework is applied regardless of IEP or Section 504 plans, which penalizes students and families and can conflict with their accommodations. I am concerned about this because [your story].

I would appreciate your support of an amendment to the Attendance for Success Act, to ensure fair treatment of students with medical conditions and other disabilities. Please consider sponsoring this important legislation.

Sincerely,

[your name] [your email / contact info]



Some Factors That Can Be Mentioned

  • The law already has special consideration for: Pregnant & parenting students; Extracurricular participation; Religious instruction; and Tribal obligations.



  • The tiered intervention framework ignores the processes for establishing plans for students with disabilities - IEPs and Section 504 plans.


  • New Mexico attendance data does not break out absences due to medical reasons. A severe virus season can drive up absences with no indication of the cause in statewide attendance data, leaving decision makers without critical information.

  • Students who have medical providers far from their hometown have additional travel time adding to absences.


  • A lack of local care providers results in some students having to travel out of New Mexico.

  • Public records for the process of enacting the Attendance for Success Act in 2019 make no mention that students with disabilities, including medical conditions, were considered in developing the legislation.


 
 
 

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