SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico will become the first state in the country to begin offering free universal child care, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Monday.

New Mexico to offer universal child care

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According to Grisham, the announcement fulfills the promise made by the governor and the New Mexico Legislature when they created the Early Childhood Education and Care Department in 2019.

Since then, New Mexico has expanded access to no-cost child care for families with incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.

With Monday’s announcement, universal child care will be extended to every family in the state, regardless of income. This amounts to an average annual family savings of $12,000 per child.

Existing income eligibility limits will b

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