Crystal Brantley, a New Mexico state senator, announced that the Senate Rules Committee has unanimously advanced a bipartisan bill, Senate Bill 283 (SB 283), which aims to ensure federal benefits for foster children are directed to them rather than funding the operations of the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD). She made this statement in an email on February 13.

"I'm pleased to have strong bipartisan support," said Brantley. "This is one step closer towards the long-overdue and necessary reform. Do what's best for our state's vulnerable children."

Senate Bill 283, known as the "Federal Benefits for Children in State Custody Act," was introduced in the New Mexico Senate on February 4, 2025. The bill requires CYFD to assess a child's eligibility for federal benefits within 60 days of entering state custody and annually thereafter. Additionally, it mandates collaboration between CYFD and the child’s attorney, custodian, and guardian.

A joint investigation by NPR and the Marshall Project in 2021 revealed that at least 49 states and Washington D.C. intercepted federal benefits intended for foster children to cover state expenses. In New Mexico alone, $7.93 million was reportedly taken from foster children in 2018.

According to KUNM, New Mexico's CYFD is under scrutiny due to high child maltreatment rates and workforce shortages. Rachel Mercer-Garcia from the Legislative Finance Committee said that "That high turnover rate really inhibits net progress."

Senator Brantley is noted as being the first woman and Republican to represent New Mexico’s Senate District 35. A native of Las Cruces and an NMSU graduate, she advocates for rural issues and serves on the Senate Finance Committee with a focus on agriculture, law enforcement, and small business support.