House committee gives do-pass recommendation to bill securing apprenticeship trust funding

Madam Chair of the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Tuesday recommended a do-pass on House Bill 7, a measure sponsors described as securing predictable, annual funding for apprenticeship programs across the state.

Representative Garrett, the bill sponsor, told the committee the trust fund has performed well and noted a balance of $22,487,386 as of September 2025. "We have 2,754 apprentices active right now in 74 programs," he said, and described the bill as intended to support both expansion and sustainability of apprenticeship pathways.

The bill drew broad support from industry and labor groups at the hearing. Jason Espinosa, speaking for the Associated General Contractors Association, the Mechanical Contractors Association and the Sheet Metal Contractors Association, said the measure "locks in consistent annual investment in apprenticeship and workforce training so New Mexico can keep pace with the workforce demands of a growing construction industry." JD Bullington, representing the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the New Mexico chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, said the bill provides "predictable, sustained funding" that aligns with the Chamber's workforce-development priorities. Joan Baker of United Association Local 412 said apprentice enrollment has "more than doubled," and Stephanie Maes of the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council, representing 15 unions, urged committee support.

A small-business witness who joined by video, Philip Ramirez, said apprenticeship programs are "crucial to the success of our company" and urged the committee to vote yes.

Committee members used the hearing to press sponsors for better public metrics. Representative Terrazas commended the bill's data-driven approach but asked that benchmarks—numbers of programs funded, apprentices enrolled and completed, job placement within six months, average wages and cost per completion—be published for public transparency. Representative Garcia asked where apprentices are concentrated; sponsors said most are in the building trades, with strong growth in plumbing/pipefitting and electrical tracks, and estimated about two-thirds of apprentices were located in the Rio Grande Corridor based on last-year analysis but offered to provide higher-fidelity geographic data. Sponsors also said some apprenticeship tracks operate in partnership with corrections for pre-release training, including heavy-equipment and commercial-driver-license programs.

On longer-term funding, Representative Ortiz asked what would happen in 2030–2031; sponsors said they are working with appropriations to seek additional allocations, noting an original request of $50 million was reduced to $30 million but that investment returns have helped the fund grow despite distributions.

Representative Hall moved a due-pass recommendation; after a second and no voiced opposition, the chair declared, "Representatives, you have a do pass on house bill 7," advancing the bill from committee. The committee scheduled additional hearings and said it would place referred bills on a fast-track agenda and reconvene on Tuesday to consider more items.

The committee hearing record shows strong support from contractors, labor and training organizations and a request from members for clearer, publicly posted performance metrics; sponsors agreed to provide additional data to the committee. The committee adjourned after taking the do-pass action.