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committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/22/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Child Care Needs of Student Parents

SJM 37

ANALYST Lucero

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

Minimal

Minimal Non-

Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB 182; SB 214; SB 676; SB 869; SB 870; SB 871; SB 723; HB 15

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 37 requests that the Children, Youth and Families Department study the

met and unmet needs for child care for student parents and report its findings to the welfare

reform oversight committee or another appropriate interim legislative committee during the 2007

interim.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

SJM 37 is specifically related to child care for student parents and how CYFD can better identify

and provide for their met and unmet needs through their child care services (licensing, training,

subsidies, etc). The only connection to PED would be if the “student parents" in middle and high

school are receiving child care services through a Teen Parent Center or program located on a

public school campus that receives funding through PED. Otherwise, SJM 37 has no fiscal or

programmatic impact on PED

Senate Joint Memorial 37 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The memorial would offer an additional new opportunity to study and recommend ways to

improve the availability and accessibility of child care services in New Mexico.

As stated in the regulations governing child care assistance (8.15.2 NMAC), child care benefits

are paid for families who are working, attending school or participating in a job training or

educational program and who demonstrate a need for care during one or more of these activities

and who meet income guidelines. Child care assistance benefits are provided to eligible children

for the following types of child care to ensure that parents have a variety of child care services

from which to choose:

•

child care programs administered by public schools and post-secondary institutions that

provide on-site care for the children of students;

•

child care programs administered by tribal entities;

•

child care programs administered by church or religious organizations;

•

in-home care;

•

child care in registered family childcare homes;

•

child care in licensed family and group childcare homes;

•

out of school time programs;

•

programs operated by employers for their employees.

Many of the State’s high schools and universities already have child care centers available to the

students of those schools.

Child care facilities are currently required to maintain a ratio of 1 to 6 for children under two, 1

to 12 for children three to four years, and 1 to 15 for children five to six years.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

None identified at this time

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

If passed, the memorial will have a slight additional administrative impact on children, youth and

families department that the bill does not address.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to SB 182; SB 214; SB 676; SB 869; SB 870; SB 871; SB 723; HB 15

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The bill does not mention what unmet or inadequately met student parent child care needs are.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

All licensed child care facilities must meet the requirements of the child care licensing

regulations (8.16.2 NMAC). Included in these regulations is the requirement that staff at child

Senate Joint Memorial 37 – Page

3

care centers take the 45-hour entry level course or approved 3-credit early care and education

course or an equivalent approved by the department within six months of employment. All staff

members working directly with children and more than 20 hours per week, including the

director, must have at least twenty-four (24) hours of training each year.

A child care provider may choose to participate in the Aim High program to receive help in

meeting and maintaining requirements for Star levels 2 through 5 of the Department’s quality

rating system. Child care providers receive higher reimbursement rates for meeting these

requirements. Currently, 46% of the State’s 994 licensed child care homes and centers have 2, 3,

4 and 5 Star licenses. Licensing surveyors for the Child Care Services Bureau conduct a survey

at least once a year in each child care facility and follow-up visits as needed. Licensed facilities

are required to post their most recent licensing survey.

DL/csd