Rebecca Dow, the New Mexico House Representative for District 38, said that Democrat lawmakers rejected a GOP proposal to provide 6 to 12 weeks of paid family leave during the recent legislative session, despite the state's $3 billion surplus. She made these remarks in a post on X.
"We had a 3 billion dollar surplus (thanks oil & gas," said Rebecca L. Dow, New Mexico State Representative for 38th District (R). "Democrats killed the Republican bill for 6-12 weeks of paid leave. They said it wasn't good enough because it didn't include paid time off for recovery after transgender surgery. They want to tax employees & employers instead."
In the 2025 legislative session, New Mexico lawmakers revived debates over House Bill 11, a proposal to establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. The bill aimed to provide paid time off for situations such as serious illness, childbirth, and bereavement. While it narrowly passed a second committee vote, it ultimately failed to move forward. According to Source New Mexico and the Associated Press, the paid leave proposal faced resistance due to competing fiscal priorities as lawmakers grappled with how to allocate a projected $3.5 billion budget surplus generated through record-breaking oil production.
New Mexico's projected recurring general fund revenue for fiscal year 2024 was approximately $11.994 billion, with nearly $3.6 billion classified as "new money"—revenues exceeding existing spending obligations. This substantial surplus was primarily driven by the state’s flourishing oil and gas sector, particularly in the Permian Basin, which has helped establish New Mexico as the second-largest oil producer in the U.S. According to the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee’s official budget recommendations, this growth positioned the state with one of its most robust fiscal standings in recent history.
As of 2025, thirteen states and the District of Columbia have implemented paid family and medical leave programs, typically offering between 12 and 20 weeks of partially paid leave funded through payroll taxes. In contrast, New Mexico’s proposed House Bill 11 aimed to establish a shorter benefit period of just six weeks, funded by contributions from both employees and employers into a statewide trust fund. Although shorter than many other state programs, proponents argued that it would serve as an important first step toward broader worker protections.
Rebecca Dow is a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives representing District 38. She served in the legislature from 2016 to 2022 and was re-elected in 2024. Dow is known for advocating family-centered policies and business-friendly legislation.
