NM HB255

Creates the Public Safety Workforce Building Program to provide competitive grants for recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers, firefighters, detention/corrections staff, and licensed attorneys in district attorney or public defender offices

Establishes the Public Safety Workforce Capacity Building Fund as a nonreverting fund administered by the Department of Finance and Administration, with administrative costs capped at 3% of the annual balance

Allocates grants by county population: up to 25% for counties with 500,000+ residents, up to 35% for counties with 100,000-500,000 residents, and remaining funds for counties under 100,000

Permits grant funds for recruitment bonuses, retention payments, relocation expenses, professional development, recruitment campaigns, and equipment—but prohibits use for creating new positions or funding base salaries

Consolidates three existing workforce capacity building funds (law enforcement, public attorney, and detention/corrections) into the new unified fund effective July 1, 2026, and repeals Sections 9-6-17 through 9-6-19 NMSA 1978