The chair of the Children’s Code Reform Task Force suggested New Mexico follow the example of the Alaska Permanent Fund, which sends every Alaska resident a yearly check based on the state’s oil and gas incomes. (Photo via Getty Images)
A task force created by the New Mexico Legislature to address children’s well-being has a simple suggestion for reducing child poverty: give families money.
The Children’s Code Reform Task Force looked over New Mexico’s child and family welfare law, and came up with 25 different recommendations which represent “an evolving understanding of the field.”
One of the recommendations is for the state to pay for and help local governments create Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot programs for families who are at risk of losing their children due to underlying poverty. The goal, the task force wrote, would be to keep people out of the child welfare system in the first place.
“Studies have shown that even a $100 income support has served to reduce engagement with child welfare agencies,” the report released in June states.
Three members of the task force presented the recommendations detailed in a 74-page report to legislators who are part of the Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee on Aug. 13.
“We’re challenging this group to consider the possibility of universal basic income in the state of New Mexico,” said Cristen Conley, an attorney and child welfare law specialist who chairs the task force. “We realize that’s a big, hopeful ask.”
Conley suggested New Mexico follow the example of the Alaska Permanent Fund , which sends every Alaska resident a yearly check based on the state’s oil and gas incomes. New Mexico accounted for 14% of all crude oil production in the U.S. in 2023, second only to Texas, according to the Energy Information Administration.
“Why couldn’t we do that, if we know that we have that wealth in our state?” Conley asked. “Wouldn’t that be a remarkable experiment for us to conduct here in New Mexico?”
The task force report notes there were universal basic income programs in 13 states and the District of Columbia in 2022. It cites proponents for universal basic income who argue these programs reduce poverty rates, improve job prospects, reduce food insecurity, and improve health.
In neighboring Colorado, a study found many homeless people who participated in the Denver Basic Income Project had improved housing outcomes .
A more limited year-long program gave $500 monthly payments to 330 mixed-immigration status households in New Mexico and showed an increase in positive results for children and work opportunities.
Coalition shows results from guaranteed income helped workers, immigrant families
That was a guaranteed basic income program, and was meant to supplement the families’ existing income rather than cover all their necessities like a universal basic income could.
The New Mexico Children’s Code Reform Task Force report also cites common criticism of universal basic income programs’ including their cost, and concerns that they can remove the incentive for people to work, shrink the labor force, lead to poor spending habits and risk contributing to inflation.
Rep. Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe) said she has been interested in looking into a universal basic income program, and she wants to work with Conley on a proposal to bring it to New Mexico.
“We are an energy state, we are one of the richest states,” Lujan said. “We live in poverty, by choice, by our action, by our policies, by all the things that we have in place. We don’t have to. We have the money to do this, just like Alaska does.”
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