Legislative Finance Committee

While overall enrollment in Medicaid-covered behavioral healthcare has decreased, those still enrolled are using more services at a higher cost.

About 32 thousand youth in New Mexico are neither working nor in school, costing the state an estimated $623 million a year.

New Mexico is in the top five of states for revenue volatility, largely because of its reliance on the oil and gas industry, but LFC staff are working on a solvency playbook to prepare for potential downturns.

With final data through November and preliminary data through February, general fund recurring revenues are tracking $320.6 million, or 2.4 percent, above the latest forecast, a reversal from low tracking through the beginning of the fiscal year.

LFC and the Office of the State Auditor have issued a joint advisory to state agencies highlighting limits on spending.

General fund revenue in FY26 to date continues to lag collections from last year and, coming on the heels of revenue weakness at the end of FY25 that contributed to draws on an operating reserve already reduced by executive orders, could signal the state will need to draw from one of its rainy day reserves to cover existing appropriations.

With enactment of House Bill 1 (feed bill) and assuming enactment of the General Appropriation Act (GAA or House Bill 2) in conjunction with the omnibus tax bill (Senate Bill 151), state agencies would see an increase in recurring general fund revenues of $339 million, or about 3 percent. Nonrecurring funding from the enactment of GAA and Senate Bill 273 (a supplemental appropriations bill) would provide over $2.7 billion in general fund revenue for one-time expenses. 

A survey of physicians who currently work or previously worked in New Mexico, shows almost two-thirds of those still practicing in the state are considering leaving to practice elsewhere.