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New Mexico Plans to Make College Free for All State Residents

The change, expected to be announced Wednesday, would apply to all 29 of the state’s public institutions.

New Mexico is set to make tuition at its public colleges and universities free for all state residents, regardless of their family income, The New York Times reports. The plan will be formally announced by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday and will require legislative approval before becoming law. It would apply to all 29 of the state’s public institutions, and its costs would largely be covered by climbing revenue from oil production. It would be a major step forward in the growing debate over whether tuition should be free. Two of the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination for president—Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren—have promised they would make all public colleges and universities free, whereas Joe Biden has said he would eliminate community-college tuition.