HIGHER ED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA REPORTING

HB0117

HOUSE BILL 117

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

E. Diane Torres-Velásquez

AN ACT

RELATING TO DATA COLLECTION; REQUIRING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION TO COLLECT AND REPORT TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA PERTAINING TO THE EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT OF STUDENTS' PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR FICTIVE KIN;
PROVIDING FOR THE RELEASE OF AGGREGATED DATA FOR SEVERAL USES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
[
NEW MATERIAL
] EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS--
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA COLLECTION--PARENTAL EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.--

A. The institutions of higher education enumerated
in Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico
shall collect voluntarily provided demographic data that
pertains to the educational attainment of a prospective
student's parent, legal guardian or fictive kin on the
institution's application or registration forms. The data
collected shall be reported to the higher education department
separately and with other demographic data collected by the
institution. The department shall publish a report of the data
provided in this subsection separately and in combination with
other demographic data collected by the institutions.

B. The data collected pursuant to Subsection A of
this section may be aggregated at the state, county,
municipality, census tract or zip code level so as to prevent
identifying individuals and statistical unreliability. The
data may be used by the institutions or department to:

(1) facilitate demographic comparisons or
identify demographic disparities;

(2) improve the quality of academics and
educational services;

(3) conduct approved academic research;

(4) provide information and reports required
for federal and private grants; and

(5) guide academic and other institutional
policies and funding decisions.

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