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New Mexico will offer child care at no cost to all residents, regardless of incomes, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham , thus becoming the first U.S. state to offer universal free child care, she said.

The state Early Childhood Education and Care Department will begin writing rules to entirely remove the income eligibility threshold for a family to receive child care assistance by Nov. 1. The state currently parent copays on child care for families whose income is up to 400% of the federal poverty level.

鈥淐hild care is essential to family stability, workforce participation, and New Mexico鈥檚 future prosperity,鈥� the governor said in a statement issued following a news conference. 鈥淏y investing in universal child care, we are giving families financial relief, supporting our economy, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.鈥�

The free child care will save families on average $12,000 annually, the governor鈥檚 office said.

During Monday鈥檚 news conference, Lujan Grisham said reaching the milestone of free universal child care required asking the Legislature and New Mexico voters for sustainable sources of funding. New Mexico voters in 2022 a Constitutional Amendment that pushed state lawmakers to tap into a state fund and use it to build out the early childhood education system in the state.

鈥淭hat was always the vision,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t took us this long to realize it, but by golly, we did.鈥�

Along with the expanded access to free child care, the state in one week will allow entities like local governments and schools to start applying for low-interest loans to expand or create new child care facilities, under rules to the state鈥檚 Child Care Facility Loan Fund passed in the most recent legislative session, Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said.

Between 12,000 and 13,000 new child care slots could open up, with a goal of 55 new licensed child care centers, 120 new licensed homes and 1,000 new registered homes, she noted.

鈥淲e see the interest, we鈥檙e also talking to industry leaders who are very interested in this, and also school superintendents,鈥� Groginsky said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an all-in strategy from industry, business leaders, our schools and our community-based providers.鈥�

Lujan Grisham said universal child care is 鈥渢he backbone of creating a system of support for families鈥� that allow parents to go to work or college.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to make New Mexico extremely attractive to build your business here,鈥� Lujan Grisham said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to make New Mexico extremely attractive to come here and raise your family.鈥�

The new rule will also address pay for child care providers, the governor said. According to a handout at Monday鈥檚 news conference, under the proposed rule, providers will earn additional funding if they pay all entry-level workers at least $18 to $21 per hour and remain open at least 10 hours per day, five days per week.

Monday鈥檚 announcement builds on six years of progress in the state, said Dr. Neal Halfon, founding director of the . He said New Mexico is the first U.S. state to put in place a blueprint for 鈥渁n ecosystem of early childhood supports,鈥� including a first-of-its-kind statewide comprehensive, actionable data program.

鈥淭his portfolio of strategies 鈥� I鈥檓 telling you as an outsider 鈥� is a really big deal,鈥� Halfson said. 鈥淎s a developmental scientist, we鈥檇 like to see every place have this kind of scaffolding in place. This is a national model.鈥�

In the most recent legislative session, lawmakers increased the department鈥檚 budget by $113 million to $995 million total, including $463 million specifically for child care, Groginsky said. The state in 2020 also created a new pot of money called the Early Childhood Trust Fund, which started at $320 million and now has $10 billion, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales said during the news conference.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Source New Mexico maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Goldberg for questions: [email protected].

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