Notice of Rulemaking and Public Rule Hearing for 8.9.3 NMAC, 8.9.4 NMAC, 8.9.5 NMAC, and 8.9.6 NMAC

New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department’s mission is to ensure that all New Mexican families and young children have equitable access to high-quality early childhood opportunities. As part of this mission, ECECD is proposing to adopt the following new regulations based off the previous versions enacted by the Children Youth and Families Department:

• 8.9.3 NMAC – Child Care Assistance Requirements for Child Care Assistance Programs for Clients and Child Care Providers (Formerly 8.15.2 NMAC) 
• 8.9.4 NMAC – Child Care Licensing; Child Care Centers, Out of School Time Programs, Family Child Care Homes, and Other Early Care and Education Programs (Formerly 8.16.2 NMAC) 
• 8.9.5 NMAC – Non-Licensed Child Care; Requirements Governing Registration of Non-Licensed Family Child Care Homes (Formerly 8.17.2 NMAC) 
• 8.9.6 NMAC- Governing Background Checks and Employment History Verification (Formerly 8.8.3 NMAC)

Notice of acceptance of written public comment:

Written public comment, including presentation of data, views, or arguments about the proposed rules, from any interested member of the public, may be submitted via email to ECECD-ECS-PublicComment@state.nm.us with the subject line “Proposed Regulation Public Comment” or via first class mail to P.O. Drawer 5619, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 –5619. Written comments may be delivered to the Old PERA building at 1120 Paseo De Peralta on September 27, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.

The comment period ends at the conclusion of the public hearing on September 27, 2022. Any interested member of the public may attend the hearing in person, or via the virtual web platform or telephone, and offer public comments on the proposed rule during the hearing.