The Welcome Child Act establishes a new benefit program for parents and guardians of newborns or newly adopted children in New Mexico, set to begin on January 1, 2028. The Act creates the Welcome Child Benefit Fund, which will be administered by the early childhood education and care department. Eligible applicants, who must be parents or legal guardians residing in the state for at least six months prior to the child's birth or adoption, will receive three monthly payments of $3,000, totaling $9,000 if the application is approved after a delay of 90 days or more. The benefit amount will be adjusted for inflation starting January 1, 2030.

Additionally, the Act outlines the application process, requiring documentation to be submitted within one month of the child's birth or adoption. The department must make a determination within 60 days of receiving a completed application. The bill also amends existing law regarding the early childhood education and care fund, specifying that a portion of its distributions will be allocated to the Welcome Child Benefit Fund. The secretary of early childhood education and care is tasked with promulgating rules to implement the Act by July 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 9-29A-1