House Memorial 36 requests the New Mexico Board of Nursing to convene a task force aimed at addressing the ongoing nursing shortage crisis in the state. The memorial highlights the significant gap between the number of nursing graduates needed and those currently produced, emphasizing that approximately 3,200 new nurses must graduate annually to meet staffing needs by 2032, while only about 1,400 graduated in 2025. The task force will consist of representatives from various nursing organizations, educational institutions, and healthcare associations, tasked with identifying barriers to increasing nursing graduation rates and employee retention.

The memorial further instructs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate interim legislative committee focused on health and human services, as well as the legislative finance committee. The report is expected to cover barriers to employment retention, nursing educational slot expansion, and nursing school enrollment and retention, along with actionable recommendations to bridge the educational gap and address workforce needs in nursing. Copies of the memorial will be sent to relevant stakeholders, including the Board of Nursing and legislative committees.