SANTA FE – In an executive message to the state Senate on Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham encouraged the chamber to pass legislation creating a department for early childhood education.
Passed out of the Senate Rules committee without opposition on Wednesday, the committee substitute for Senate Bill 22 creates the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, sponsored by Sen. Michael Padilla.
The text of the message is as follows:
Honorable President Pro Tempore Papen and Members of the Senate:
I respectfully request the New Mexico State Senate pass Senate Bill 22 – Early Childhood Education and Care Department in the Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Session, 2019.
A child’s early years of life are formative and constitute the foundation for his or her future health, development and scholastic achievement. It is our collective responsibility to ensure New Mexico’s children are afforded the educational opportunities and resources necessary for success.
Senate Bill 22 promotes that objective by establishing the Early Learning and Care Department as a cabinet-level department within the Executive branch. Specifically, the Bill consolidates existing programs into a single Department thereby allowing for comprehensive oversight and administration of all early childhood services in the State of New Mexico. This consolidation of existing childhood services will better serve New Mexico’s children because they will receive a continuum of care from birth to age five and enable the State to lay the groundwork for a successful future that encompasses our values as New Mexicans.
For these reasons, I hereby respectfully request that the New Mexico State Senate pass Senate Bill 22.
Respectfully yours,
Michelle Lujan Grisham
Governor