HOUSE DEMOCRATS NEWS RELEASE

SB 241 builds on New Mexico’s transformative multi-billion-dollar investments in early childhood education and care to establish a sustainable, high-quality universal childcare system that prioritizes families in need and supports educators 

Today, the House of Representatives passed an amended version of Senate Bill 241: the Childcare Assistance Program Act, which codifies New Mexico’s universal childcare program into law. The amended version passed the House by a vote of 37-19. 

The legislation builds on more than a decade of work by advocates, parents, and legislators that established a constitutional right to early childhood education and care and created a dedicated, multi-billion dollar funding stream for these programs. 

The vast majority of New Mexico families would qualify for no-cost childcare under the program, while the highest-earning families may be responsible for small co-pays to ensure the viability of the program. Co-pays would only be required under certain economic conditions such as high inflation, declining oil revenues, or when enrollment rates are unsustainable. 

If the demand for childcare outpaces the available slots, the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECED) would institute waitlists, prioritizing available slots for children with greatest needs, including children with disabilities and developmental delays. 

“New Mexico’s transformative investments in early childhood education and care have paved the way for this first-of-its-kind high-quality, sustainable universal childcare system” said House sponsor Rep. Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces). “By making sure every family in our state has access to this incredible benefit, we are creating more opportunities for both children and their parents, growing our workforce, strengthening our economy, and improving the health and well-being of our communities.” 

The version of the bill approved by the House today includes key amendments made by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee (HAFC) last night. These include critical changes to ensure the sustainability of the program, support the state’s childcare workforce, and include tribal communities in the program and decision making process. Both ECECD and early childhood advocates voiced support for the amendment made in HAFC. 

“The early childhood educators we entrust with the care of our youngest New Mexicans are the foundation of our childcare system. By investing in the workers who care for our children, we are building the capacity we need to fully deliver on the promise of universal childcare,” said HAFC Vice Chair Meredith Dixon (D-Albuquerque), who introduced the amendment to the bill. “Universal childcare will be a game changer for families across our state and it’s important that we get the details right to continue meeting the needs of New Mexico children and their families for generations to come.” 

Key changes to SB 241 made in HAFC include: 

• Lowering transfers from the Early Childhood Education and Care Trust Fund from the $1 billion in the original SB 241 to $700 million over the program’s first five years, to protect the solvency of the fund
• Requiring childcare facilities participating in the program to develop and implement the  wage scale and career ladder framework to ensure educators are paid a fair wage.
• Requiring that providers report their days and hours of operation, professional qualifications of staff members, and employee roles and levels within the wage and career ladder

• Adding tribal representatives, advocacy organizations, and teachers as parties to be consulted by ECECD when determining permanent rates for the program

• Adding tribal care facilities to the list of providers approved to participate in the program, joining public, private, non-profit, for-profit, and faith-based facilities
• Requiring ECECD to report to the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee twice a year regarding the universal childcare waitlist, applicants’ income levels and their length of time on the list
• Clarifying that universal childcare funds received by a provider may not supplant funds for instructional purposes, funds pursuant to the state equalization guarantee,  or other general funding

SB 241 will now head back to the Senate for concurrence with House amendments. 

Creating more opportunities for New Mexico’s children and families is a top priority for House Democrats this session. A select list of our cradle-to-career education and child well-being  investments and legislation is below. 

The Roundhouse will be open to the public for the entirety of this year’s 30-day session. Members of the public can also view floor sessions and committee meetings on the New Mexico Legislature’s Webcasts tab, and provide comment via phone or Zoom as directed on the daily schedule.   

Select Education and Child Well-Being Priorities 

A non-comprehensive list of priority investments and legislation this session addressing education and child well-being includes: 

• Building out a sustainable, high-quality universal childcare system, including over $60 million annually to ensure early childhood educators are paid a good, living wage through the wage and career lattice, so New Mexico can recruit and retain quality providers and build the capacity needed to fully implement the program (HB 2)*
• Codifying New Mexico’s universal childcare program into law, building on more than a decade of work by advocates, parents, and legislators to establish a constitutional right to early childhood education and care, and create a dedicated, multi-billion dollar funding stream to fund these programs (SB 241)*
• Creating a first-of-its-kind Higher Education Major Projects Fund, which would fully fund the UNM School of Medicine expansion, a mixed-use humanities building at NMSU, and student life and housing projects statewide (HB 8*, HB 2*)
• Allocating $4.7 billion in recurring funding for public education (HB 2)*
• Recruiting and retaining more quality educators to New Mexico by raising pay for teacher residents (HB 30)* and increasing funding for the Teacher Loan Repayment Program and the Educator Fellows Program (HB 2)*
• Dedicating over $73 million in recurring funding to decrease healthcare costs for teachers (80/20), so educators and school staff can keep more of what they earn (HB 2)*
• Allowing voters to decide whether to create nominating committees to select regent candidates for the state’s educational institutions (HJR 1)*
• Fully funding the Black, Hispanic, and Multicultural Education Acts (HB 2)*
• Proactively addressing juvenile crime by pairing prevention and rehabilitation services, with oversight and accountability for at-risk youth (HB 5)
• Creating reporting requirements around virtual learning programs within the state’s public schools, to make sure all kids are getting a good education and funding is going where it’s needed most (HB 253)*