New Mexico
New Mexico revives paid family and medical leave debate with improved proposal
The debate over paid family and medical leave will return to the Roundhouse this year.
SANTA FE, N.M. — The debate over paid family and medical leave will return to the Roundhouse this year.
Just like the original, the new proposal aims to give all New Mexico workers the ability to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off when they need it most – that includes after the birth of a new child, a family emergency, or a medical crisis.
Employees and their employers would be required to consistently pay a small amount of money based on their wages into a state fund, which would end up paying workers on leave. Employers would not be paying those worker’s wages.
“The bill is better, stronger, more oriented towards business in certain ways,” said Democratic state Sen. Mimi Stewart.
Stewart says they’re taking extra steps to make sure New Mexico’s business community is happy with her new paid family and medical leave proposal.
“We’ve counted 16 concessions that we’ve put in because of businesses to make it work easier for them,” Stewart said.
It’s not clear yet exactly what’s different about the new bill, but Stewart says her team spent time studying similar programs in Colorado and Tennessee. They also are working with the Department of Workforce Solutions o craft a more structurally sound program.
“I think partly this is because so many of us now understand this better,” Stewart said.
The new version still requires employees to pay $5 for every thousand in wages. Employers only have to $4 per employee, but only if they have five or more workers.
Many opponents last year criticized that mechanism as an added business tax, and noted legislative reports predicted the state fund would run out of money.
“We’ve got a really good mechanism, the funding is adequate, the fees on employees and employers are is minimal,” Stewart said.
Advocates with the Southwest Women’s Law Center say many businesses want this kind of program.
“There was a recent poll done with small business owners that show that there’s overwhelming support, I want to say 85% support for this idea,” said Tracy McDaniel, policy advocate with the Southwest Women’s Law Center.
McDaniel suggests that’s all because of the potential benefits.
“It allows those employees to have the security and also allows those employers to compete for employees with those large businesses and corporations in the state of New Mexico that offer paid parental leave, so it really levels the playing field,” McDaniel said.
Advocates say similar programs in other states have allowed more women to enter the workforce.
If approved by lawmakers, Stewart says the program would not go into effect until 2027 at the earliest.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Skies are partly to mostly clear with most similar or slightly milder than yesterday. Winds are a little breezy occasionally with the highest humidity values mostly from out east and to the north.
Air temperatures in the north are mostly starting off in the 30s to the low 50s. Elsewhere to the south, air temperatures are mostly ranging from around the high 30s to the low 60s.
Many areas from eastern New Mexico to the Pecos River Valley area will range from the high 60s to the 80s from north to south from high to low elevation. The northern higher elevations will mostly range from the high 40s to near 60°, while the northern valley floors to western and central areas will mostly range from the high 70s to the low 90s.
Southerly upper-level winds, in combination to the low-level moisture still lingering around the northern high elevations to out east, will lead to few thunderstorms capable of producing brief bouts of heavy rain, small hail, some lightning, & gusty conditions.
Ridging in the jet stream will then allow for clearer conditions, drier air, and for temperatures to rebound for the remainder of the week. However, slightly more thunderstorms will form for some eastern and mountainous areas late in the week, resulting in outflow-southeasterly winds to occasionally pick up.
Even hotter air returns late this weekend into early next week before thunderstorms are more likely to form next week.
Fog could cut visibility for the Thursday morning commute in eastern New Mexico before storms return and a severe weather risk builds Friday.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Fog could cut visibility for the Thursday morning commute in eastern New Mexico before storms return and a severe weather risk builds Friday.
Eastern New Mexico still has a very moist lower atmosphere for late May, with dewpoints in the 50s across the eastern plains, 40s through the Rio Grande Valley and 30s west toward Arizona.
That moisture will help low clouds and patchy fog reform late Wednesday night into early Thursday. The best chances for fog favor Clovis, Portales, Roswell, Tucumcari, Fort Sumner and Santa Rosa.
Some places could see reduced visibility Thursday morning, especially along Interstate 40, Highway 70 and Highway 285.
Low clouds and fog should gradually burn off by mid to late Thursday morning. After that, isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms are expected mainly along the east slopes of the central mountain chain.
Chief Meteorologist Eddie Garcia shares all the details in his full forecast in the video above.
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With less than a week before the 2026 Primary Election nearly 95,000 New Mexicans have voted early.
Expanded early voting began May 16 and will end on May 30. The Primary Election is June 2.
According to data released on May 26 by the Secretary of State’s Office, there have been 94,930 ballots cast since early voting began on May 4.
In Doña Ana County, there have been 6,294 voters in Doña Ana County who voted early. There have been 4,706 Democrats who have voted early with 1,567 Republicans and 646 who declined to state a party affiliation. There have been 2,023 residents who have voted absentee.
New Mexico has semi-open primary elections, which means voters who are not registered with a qualified political party may also participate in the election by selecting which major party’s ballot they want to vote on without changing their voter registration.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, there have been 9,000 voters in New Mexico who were not registered with qualified political parties, who have voted in the Primary Election ― 6,962 who voted in the Democrat Primary and 2,038 who have voted in the Republican Primary.
In Doña Ana County, 516 voters who were not registered with qualified political parties have voted in the Democrat Primary and 134 who voted in the Republican Primary.
Approximately 90,000 New Mexicans utilized early voting ahead of the 2024 Primary Election and 5,848 people voted early in Doña Ana County (4,195 Democrats, 18 Libertarian, 1,635 Republicans).
The total 2022 Primary Election turnout for the county was 16.41% or 15,499 ballots cast and the 2020 Primary Election turnout was 29.29% or 26,055 ballots cast.
Where to vote in Doña Ana County
Early voting at the Doña Ana County Government Center began on May 5 from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until May 29, and on Saturday, May 30 from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.
Alternate site early voting locations will begin on May 16 at 11 a.m., and run through May 30 from Tuesday through Saturday.
The alternate site locations in Doña Ana County are:
- Anthony Library (750 Landers Anthony)
- HVPS Student Services (350 Main St. Hatch)
- Doña Ana County Community College (755 Prescott Anthony Dr. Chaparral)
- Doña Ana County Community College (2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd. Las Cruces)
- Doña Ana County Community College (3365 McNutt Rd. Sunland Park)
- Las Cruces City Hall (700 N. Main St. Las Cruces)
- Mesilla Town Hall (2231 Avenida de Mesilla Mesilla)
- Corbett Center Student Union (1600 International Mall Las Cruces)
Doña Ana County voting locations on Election Day are open from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. Mailed ballots must be received no later than 7 p.m.
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