Summary:

   Senate Bill 268 (SB 268) appropriates two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to the board of regents of the University of New Mexico to fund athletics and appropriates two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to the board of regents of New Mexico State University, with a contingency, to fund athletics.
 

Legislation Overview:

 Senate Bill 268 (SB 268) appropriates two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) from the General Fund (GF) to the University of New Mexico for expenditure in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 to fund athletics.
XB 268 appropriates two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) from the General Fund (GF to New Mexico State University for athletics contingent on NMSU hiring an athletic director with certain qualifications.
Any unexpended or unencumbered balance from either appropriation remaining at the end of FY 2026 reverts to the GF.

 

Current Law:

 Both UNM and NMSU participate in Division 1 college sports including baseball, basketball, football, softball and track and field. NMSU has a webpage on Athletic Compliance Office that is responsible for oversight and management of the comprehensive compliance program through training and monitoring activities. UNM has an Athletic Council that formulates, maintains, and reviews general policies pertaining to intercollegiate athletics. 
Both schools have had a long rivalry. In 2022, the basketball players from NMSU and UNM were involved in a deadly confrontation in 2022.  There was a furor over the lack of supervision and oversight of NMSU’s team.
https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/2023/05/23/mike-peake-nmsu-brandon-travis-unm-shooting-timeline/70247824007/
 

Amendments:

 2/17/25
The Senate Education Committee amended SB 268 (SB 268A SEC) by clarifying that the funding was for student athletes. It removed the contingency on NMSU hiring an athletic director.