HB 304

                                1  HOUSE BILL 304
                                2      57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2026
                                3  INTRODUCED BY
                                4  Mark Duncan
                                5
                                6
                                7
                                8
                                9
                                10  AN ACT
                                11   RELATING TO CHILD CARE; PROVIDING MONTHLY PAYMENTS TO A PARENT
                                12   OF A CHILD THAT IS NOT ENROLLED IN A STATE-FUNDED CHILD CARE OR
                                13   PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.
                                14
                                15   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
                                16        SECTION 1.    [NEW MATERIAL] PAYMENTS TO THE PARENTS OF A
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17   CHILD NOT ENROLLED IN A STATE-FUNDED CHILD CARE OR PRE-
underscored material = new
                                18   KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.--
                                19  A.   The department shall provide the following
                                20   monthly payments to the parents of a child that is not enrolled
                                21   in a state-funded child care or pre-kindergarten program:
                                22  (1)   two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500)
                                23   for each infant of the parents;
                                24  (2)   one thousand nine hundred seventy-five
                                25   dollars ($1,975) for each toddler of the parents; and
                                     .233482.2
                                1  (3)   one thousand three hundred seventy-five
                                2    dollars ($1,375) for each preschool-age child of the parents.
                                3  B.   An application for a payment shall include
                                4    documentation:
                                5  (1)   of the date of the child's birth or
                                6    guardianship, as applicable;
                                7  (2)   of the parents' relationship to the child;
                                8  (3)   of the parents' in-state residency;
                                9  (4)   that the child is not enrolled in a state-
                                10   funded child care or pre-kindergarten program; and
                                11  (5)   indicating where the payment to the
                                12   parents of the child should be deposited or mailed.
                                13  C.   The department shall make a determination within
                                14   sixty calendar days of receipt of a completed application.       If
                                15   the application is approved, the department shall promptly make
                                16   a payment as provided in Subsection A of this section.
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17  D.   If an application for payment is denied, the
underscored material = new
                                18   department shall promptly notify the parents of the grounds for
                                19   denial.
                                20  E.   Parents applying for the payment shall not be
                                21   eligible to receive the payment if the parents have willfully
                                22   or knowingly provided the department with fraudulent
                                23   documentation in support of an application.
                                24  F.   If more than one parent of a child applies and
                                25   is eligible to receive the payment provided by Subsection A of
                                     .233482.2
                                                                    - 2 -
                                1    this section, the payment may be divided evenly between the
                                2    parents; provided that if a parent has sole custody of the
                                3    child for whom the payment is being made, that parent shall
                                4    receive the full payment.
                                5  G.   As used in this section:
                                6  (1)   "child" means:
                                7  (a)   an infant that is age zero up to
                                8    twenty-four months;
                                9  (b)   a toddler that is age twenty-four
                                10   months up to thirty-six months; or
                                11  (c)   a preschool-age child that is age
                                12   three to five years;
                                13  (2)   "department" means the early childhood
                                14   education and care department; and
                                15  (3)   "parent" includes a legal guardian.
                                16  - 3 -
[bracketed material] = delete
                                17
underscored material = new
                                18
                                19
                                20
                                21
                                22
                                23
                                24
                                25
                                     .233482.2