BY BARBARA PHELPSMemberLos Alamos County Health Council On March 10, 2026, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 241 — the Child Care Assistance Program Act — making New Mexico the first state in the United States to offer free, universal child care. The law codifies into statute a program that had been operating by executive action since November 1, 2025. The assistance is available to any family in New Mexico who is working or goi…