Albuquerque, New Mexico — On Thursday, a New Mexico judge is scheduled to consider arguments in the emerging statehood challenge Comprehensive child care programan ambitious, closely watched effort to eliminate daycare costs for all working families.
A lawsuit filed by a former Republican gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez Other plaintiffs are challenging the process used by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration to eliminate income caps and copays for child care assistance before the Legislature had a chance to consider or approve funding.
“This is an overreach of executive power. The program was launched illegally,” said Rodriguez, who lost his party’s nomination in New Mexico’s recent election. essential.
The state’s child welfare agency disputes that, arguing in court filings that lawmakers “expressly authorized” and funded the expansion, making the lawsuit moot. Lujan Grisham signed legislation in February making the program into law Provided that the state’s public finances remain in good health.
District Judge Eileen Logan could rule Thursday on whether the lawsuit can move forward. A potential pause on the program would put thousands of New Mexico families on the hook for daycare payments and cause headaches for businesses.
The expansion has boosted enrollment and simplified billing, said Eileen Harding, who runs seven daycare centers in the Albuquerque area.
“We’ve always been financially solvent, but this has given us stability,” Harding said.
The challenge comes as New Mexico looks to cement its position as the first U.S. state to cover daycare bills for all working families regardless of income. But the risks extend to all parts of the country with political decision makers New York to ca Look for models to reduce costs to families and expand public investment in child care.
New Mexico’s program, which is largely funded by revenues from the state’s oil and gas production, was among the most generous in the country before the November expansion, waiving costs for families making up to 400% of the federal poverty rate or roughly $132,000 a year for a family of four.
Legislative analysts have already raised questions about the sustainability of New Mexico’s expanded program, noting earlier this year that the state’s Department of Early Childhood Education and Care began overspending just weeks after its launch in November.
The state agency acknowledged at the time that enrollment had grown faster than expected, leading to higher costs, but disputed that it was over budget.