Bill > HB98

This bill aims to improve state employee compensation and benefits by establishing a future increased minimum salary, adjusting annual leave accrual rates, and introducing paid parental leave, all intended to boost recruitment and retention. Specifically, it raises the minimum wage for state employees to $15.00 per hour, with future adjustments tied to the consumer price index, a measure of inflation. It also revises annual leave accrual based on years of service, with higher earners accumulating more leave, and provides twelve weeks of fully paid parental leave for new parents through birth, adoption, or custody. Furthermore, the bill mandates state agencies to implement remote work programs to create job opportunities in rural areas and enhance workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, with remote work locations considered approved duty stations outside the official worksite. Importantly, any provisions in this bill that conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements negotiated under the Public Employee Bargaining Act will not apply, meaning those agreements will take precedence. The effective date for these changes is July 1, 2026.

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=98&year=26