Leadership shares key progress and pledges continued work to make healthcare,
childcare, and everyday necessities more affordable for all New Mexicans

Santa Fe, N.M. – Today, New Mexico House Democrats shared updates on recent progress made for working families in the state and discussed new legislation to help make life more affordable for all New Mexicans. While uncertainty looms at the federal level, House Democrats remain committed to ensuring affordable access to necessities like healthcare, groceries, and childcare, and housing.

"Regardless of what happens in Washington, D.C., your state lawmakers have your back," said Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque). "Taking care of each other is part of who we are as New Mexicans, and we are putting these values into action with policies that actually lower costs for working people and their families."

In recent years, House Democrats have worked to improve fairness in the state's tax code by putting workers and families first, with measures like the Working Families Tax Credit, Low-Income Comprehensive Tax Rebate, and one of the most generous Child Tax Credits in the nation. A New Mexican family of four at median household income now saves an estimated $2,040 on state taxes annually thanks to these policies.

"New Mexico has passed some of the most significant tax cuts for working families in the nation, and people across our state will feel the impact of these changes when they file their taxes in the coming weeks," said House Taxation and Revenue Chair Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo). "This session, we're going to keep looking for more ways to put money back in your pocket, make our systems more fair, and protect our communities."

New Mexico has also become a national leader in providing no-cost childcare, eliminating one of our families' biggest expenses and leading to better long-term outcomes for children. In 2022, New Mexico became the first state to constitutionally guarantee the right to early childhood education. Today, a family with a 4-year-old and an infant in full-time daycare can now save around $23,000 on childcare per year.

In 2021, New Mexico built on the work of the Affordable Care Act with the creation of the state's Healthcare Affordability Fund to connect New Mexicans with affordable health insurance options. More than 71,000 New Mexicans are now enrolled through the state's marketplace, with the average person saving over $550 per month (or over $6,000 per year), and 50% of those enrolled for 2025 paying $10 or less per month.

This session, House Democrats are doubling down on this work by pushing forward a slate of legislation that will address the rising cost of living by helping to raise pay and strengthen benefits for working people, protect consumers from corporate greed, and lower the costs of essentials, like housing, healthcare, and groceries.

"We may not know all that the next four years have in store, but we know that New Mexico is ready," said House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe). "We are ready to stand up for our families and our communities, to fight back against chaos and disruption, and to find real solutions, so that everyone who works hard and plays by the rules can get ahead."

A non-comprehensive list of affordability legislation that has or will be introduced by House Democrats this session includes:

Raising minimum pay for school staff (HB 201), and workers on publicly-funded projects (HB 6)
Stopping employers from taking credit card fees out of the wages of tipped workers (HB 22)
Preventing junk fees
Make utilities more affordable for lower-income households (HB 91)
Eliminate unfair pricing by ticket resellers (HB 26)
Establishing a commission to study and make recommendations on how we can reduce grocery store prices and improve local supply chain issues
Prohibiting grocery and retail stores from using so-called "dynamic" pricing to gouge consumers (HB 285)
Making it easier for folks without perfect credit to obtain car insurance
Protecting renters from discrimination or artificial rent increases (HB 43, 98, 215, 339)
Improving healthcare access and price transparency (HB 186, 263)
Provide free high school equivalency testing and preparatory services (HB 167)

The Roundhouse is open to the public for the 2025 session. Members of the public can also view floor sessions and committee meetings on the New Mexico Legislature's Webcasts tab and provide comment via phone or Zoom as directed on the daily schedule.