Lawmakers want to bring paid family and medical leave to New Mexico
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A similar bill gained traction last session, but the 'Paid Family and Medical Leave Act' wasn't able to get the support it needed. On Monday, it was heard in its first committee and, once again, faced some opposition.
'Paid family leave truly is infrastructure for our workforce, it is a safety net for our workforce,' said Representative Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe).
The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Representatives, Christine Chandler, Mimi Stewart, and Linda Serrato.
It would cover employees asking for paternity leave, families preparing for a spouse in the military, medical reasons, and protecting employees experiencing domestic violence. However, business groups say the bill is harmful. 'While the current version of House Bill 11, has made some changes, the core of the bill remains unfriendly to businesses in New Mexico,' said Terri L. Cole, CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
The bill would require all workers and employers to pay into a state fund, with one-half percent coming from an employee's wages and employers with five or more employees, paying four-tenths of a percent of each employee's wages. Some businesses say they don't have the budget to cover these extra contributions and add if more people can get leave, they won't have enough staff. 'That this will kill small businesses. We cannot go on with more taxes and regulations on top of the agriculture community,' said Abigail O'Connor, New Mexico Cattle Growers Association.
Those in support shared emotional stories about how paid medical leave would help families struggling with sick family members. 'PMFLA will give our hard-working New Mexican families a guarantee that they will never have to choose between the most critical times in their lives and their job,' said one speaker in support of the bill.
' Whenever the employee is successful the employer is successful. And so, what we want to do is to make sure that they are able to take care of themselves when they need to and that they're able to take care of their families when they need to,' said Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Albuquerque).
The bill passed Monday's committee with a 6-4 vote. It still needs to clear another committee and the House floor, before going through the same process in the Senate. If the bill were to pass, New Mexico would be the 14th state in the country to implement a state-run paid family and medical leave program.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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