The Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), known as HB 11, has advanced to the next stage of legislative review. This bill proposes adding 12 weeks of paid leave annually on top of the existing eight days of paid sick leave mandated since 2022. To finance this, PFMLA would deduct 0.5% from employees' wages and require employers to contribute an additional 0.4% on all wages.

Following over two hours of discussion and public comments, the House Health and Human Services Committee approved the bill with a party-line vote of 6-4. Democrats supported the measure while Republicans opposed it. The bill will now proceed to the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee for further evaluation.

Concerns have been raised about the potential economic impact of this legislation, particularly in light of current inflationary pressures that are challenging businesses in New Mexico. Critics argue that the proposed tax could lead to layoffs and business closures.

The New Mexico Business Coalition (NMBC) is urging citizens to express their opinions to legislators before any final decisions are made regarding this bill.