New Mexico state agencies could be on the hook to pay millions more in civil rights liability insurance premiums next year amid an increase in settlements the state has been paying out.

The proposed civil rights insurance premiums are, on average, nearly 170% higher for fiscal year 2027 than the current year, according to rates recently published by the General Services Division . The total increases would amount to $30 million more in taxpayer dollars to go toward the state's public liability fund.

The Department of Corrections, which has been the subject of several large, high-profile settlements , is slated to pay double its current civil rights insurance rate — jumping from $5.2 million to $10.7 million annually. But agencies much less commonly sued are also seeing signi

See Full Page