House Memorial 24 requests the Legislative Finance Committee to establish a task force aimed at studying and recommending safe staffing levels for the Corrections Department and the Children, Youth and Families Department in New Mexico. The memorial highlights the critical public safety services provided by these departments and notes their significant understaffing issues, with vacancy rates exceeding thirty percent in various frontline positions. The task force is tasked with analyzing current staffing levels, identifying reasons for inadequacies, evaluating recruiting and retention strategies, and suggesting legislative actions and appropriations necessary to address these staffing challenges.

The proposed task force will consist of members from various relevant sectors, including representatives from the state personnel office, the Corrections Department, the Children, Youth and Families Department, and union representatives, as well as state legislators. The task force is expected to meet monthly from May to November 2025, with a report due by December 1, 2025. This report will be shared with the relevant departments, the governor's office, and the legislature, and will also be made publicly available on the legislature's website.