The House of Representatives has passed House Bill 11, which proposes paid family and medical leave, forwarding it to the Senate with a vote of 38-31. The bill faced significant opposition from businesses across the state. Five Democrats—Reps. Martha Garcia (D-Cibola & McKinley), Wonda Johnson (D-McKinley & San Juan), Patty Lundstrom (D-McKinley), Marian Matthews (D-Bernalillo), and Joseph Sanchez (D-Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel & Taos)—joined 26 Republicans in voting against the bill.

"We will continue to fight against this legislation that is a business and job killer," said opponents of the bill. They highlighted that many Republican members received numerous letters expressing opposition to HB 11. "It’s clear that businesses don’t want this, nor do many employees," they added. Critics argue that given the current economic climate marked by high inflation but large budget surpluses, there is no justification for increasing taxes.

Further details on this development are expected in tonight's Legislative RoundUp.

Information from this article can be found here.