ECECD 2026 Legislative Session Mailer - Feb. 3, 2026
Send a Valentine to Your Legislators, Spanish Mid-Session Check-in tonight, plus more!
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ECECD 2026 Legislative Session Mailer - February 3, 2026
This mailer is focused on early childhood legislative priorities and is intended to help families, early childhood professionals, and community partners stay informed about key policy areas, resources, and opportunities to engage throughout the session.
KEY DATES
Feb. 4 Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee (SHPAC)
Feb 14: Early Childhood Day
Feb 19: Session ends
Attend the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee (SHPAC)
Hearing
Legislative committee hearings are meetings where small groups of lawmakers review bills before they go to a full vote. Committees are specialized—some focus on education, others on healthcare or budgets.
ECECD is scheduled to present during the following hearing:
Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee (SHPAC)
Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m.
New Mexico State Capitol, Room 311
490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Public Participation is Encouraged: Meetings are open to the public and available to attend in person or view online at www.nmlegis.gov . Public comment will be taken at the end of the day, following the conclusion of scheduled agenda items.
Join Us Tonight: Spanish Mid-Session Check-In Tonight!
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for the English Spotlight on the 2026 Legislative Session for Families and Communities: Midway Check-In. We appreciate the thoughtful questions and engagement from families, providers, and community partners across the state. A special thank you to our guest speaker, Representative Joy Garratt , for joining the conversation and sharing legislative insights with our community.
If you missed the English session, the presentation and ADA-accessible slide deck will be available at: www.nmececd.org/2026-legislative-session/
Spanish Session
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 7–8 p.m.
Tonight’s session will be offered in Spanish and facilitated by Deputy Communications Director Jaime Bencomo and Family and Engagement Coordinator José González. An English audio line will also be available, and all are welcome to attend.
Join via Zoom : nmececdorg.zoom.us/j/81238084709
Opinion: Funding universal child care this session will move New Mexico up
By Lt. Gov. Howie Morales
In this Albuquerque Journal opinion piece, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales makes the case for fully funding universal child care during the 2026 legislative session. He outlines how sustained investment in child care strengthens New Mexico’s workforce, supports families’ economic stability, and builds on the state’s first in the nation commitment to universal access. The column emphasizes that funding child care is both a family support and an economic strategy that benefits the entire state.
Read the article here .
Opinion: New Mexico is rewiring the future of early childhood
By Neal Halfon
This Albuquerque Journal opinion piece highlights new research showing promising outcomes for young children in New Mexico following major early childhood investments. Dr. Neal Halfon explains how coordinated policies, stable funding, and workforce support are reshaping the early childhood system and strengthening child development statewide. The article points to New Mexico as a national example of how intentional public investment can improve long term outcomes for children and families.
Read the article here .
Send a Valentine to Your Legislators
This Valentine’s Day, share the love by sending a short thank-you message to your New Mexico State Representative and Senator for supporting funding for Universal Child Care from February 12-14
ECECD has created four Universal Child Care Valentine’s Day graphics for you to tag, email, mail, or drop off to your legislators.
Printed cards will be available at the ECECD Early Childhood Day welcome table!
Click here to view the flyer and get started!
Tell Your Story: Write an Op-Ed for Universal Child Care
Now is the moment to speak up for funding Universal Child Care and ECECD's legislative priorities. Lawmakers are making budget decisions right now, and they need to hear directly from the people who live this every day. One of the most powerful ways to show support is to write a short opinion essay (op-ed) for your local newspaper.
An op-ed (short for “opinion editorial”) is a brief essay you submit to a newspaper or online news site to share your perspective on an issue—like a bill being considered at the state legislature.
Where to Submit Op-Eds:
Here are some publications across the state that make it easy to submit an op-ed:
Santa Fe New Mexican – submit by form: Letter to the Editor | santafenewmexican.com
Albuquerque Journal – submit by form: Submit an op-ed to the editor
Las Cruces Sun-News – submit by form: Las Cruces: Submit a Letter to the Editor - Intellistack
Rio Rancho Observer – submit by form: Letter to editor rro
Sandoval Signpost – submit by form: Submit a letter to the editor - Sandoval Signpost
Taos News – submit by form: Online Services | taosnews.com
Source NM – submission by email. See guidelines here: Commentary Submission Guidelines • Source New Mexico
Explore ECECD’s 2026 Legislative Session Resources
ECECD's 2026 Legislative Session Resources webpage is designed to be your one-stop source for materials and updates throughout the session.
This page brings together key information in one place, making it easier for families, providers, and community partners to stay informed and engaged as the session unfolds.
On the webpage, you’ll find:
ECECD’s legislative priorities and session updates
Event information, including Early Childhood Day
Presentation materials and downloadable resources
Ways to stay engaged throughout the legislative session
Visit the page: nmececd.org/2026-legislative-session/
We will continue updating this page throughout the session as new resources and…