HOUSE MEMORIAL 10

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

INTRODUCED BY

Yanira Gurrola

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE HUMAN SEXUALITY EDUCATION STANDARDS AND PROGRAMMING TO EVALUATE HOW THE STANDARDS ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

 

     WHEREAS, by age fifteen, twenty-two percent of youth have engaged in sexual intercourse, and that rate increases to fifty-six percent by age eighteen, and of those, more than one-half do not use an effective birth control method; and

     WHEREAS, human sexuality education provides accurate, evidence-based, comprehensive information about sexual health, contraception and sexually transmitted infections and improved knowledge of health care services that can have a significant positive impact on a young person's life by decreasing rates of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and reports of depression and anxiety; and

     WHEREAS, providing accurate information to youth about sexual health, contraception and sexually transmitted infections and improving knowledge of health care services increases protective sexual behaviors, such as the correct use of condoms and birth control and abstinence from and delay of sexual activity; and

     WHEREAS, additional benefits from providing human sexuality education to youth include increasing safety in relationships by teaching about healthy communication, consent and healthy relationships and reducing bullying and violence in schools by addressing misinformation and fear-based messages that can be potentially harmful to youth; and

     WHEREAS, despite current laws in New Mexico that require that human sexuality education be taught before graduation, not all students are receiving comprehensive human sexuality education in New Mexico schools, and those that offer some human sexuality education often do not have equal access to medically accurate, comprehensive human sexuality education;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee be requested to review comprehensive human sexuality education standards and programming in New Mexico, to evaluate how those standards and programs are currently implemented across school districts and to identify opportunities for improvement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the staff of the legislative education study committee be requested to submit a report on or before December 1, 2026 to the legislative education study committee on the review of comprehensive human sexuality education standards and programming in the state with recommendations for legislative action; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative education study committee.

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