SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico’s child welfare department is reversing course on a proposal that would have tightened income requirements for families to begin receiving child care assistance.
The state Children, Youth and Families Department says a public hearing scheduled Monday in Santa Fe on the proposal to increase the program’s minimum qualifications has been postponed.
The income threshold for aid recently became 200% of the federal poverty level after the agency agreed as part of a class-action lawsuit to raise the amount. Under the settlement agreement, the agency must hold public hearings before changing income requirements.
Officials have not said when a new rulemaking hearing will be scheduled.
The agency initially proposed increasing the eligibility requirements after it did not get the legislative funding needed to keep a higher limit in place.
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