Unless this is part of the new initiative, (and I’m pretty sure it isn’t) I can assure you this simply isn’t true. There are special senior discount programs for those over 65 where you can take any class offered at a CC for $5/credit, but adult education at a CC in NM is NOT free.
Under current Lottery Scholarship requirements–no they can’t. However, students who earn a GED instead of graduating from high school are eligible for the Lottery Scholarship so long as they enroll in college or CC within 16 months of receiving their GED.
Students who need remedial classes are encouraged to enroll in them in the summer immediately after HS graduation, paying OOP, so they can preserve their eligibility for the Lottery.
https://hed.state.nm.us/financial-aid/scholarships/legislative-lottery