This memorial 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 bill highlights the critical public safety services provided by these departments and notes the significant understaffing issues they have faced over the past decade, with vacancy rates for frontline positions exceeding thirty percent. The task force is tasked with analyzing current staffing levels, identifying reasons for inadequacies, evaluating recruiting and retention strategies, and recommending actions and legislation to address these staffing challenges.

The proposed task force will consist of various members, 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 relevant departments, the governor's office, and the legislature, and will also be made publicly available on the legislature's website.