COVID Relief for New Mexico Families and Small Businesses
On November 24, New Mexico lawmakers passed a bipartisan coronavirus relief bill that will deliver a one-time $1,200 check to all types of unemployed workers and up to $50,000 for certain businesses. The bill also provides smaller stimulus checks to immigrants without legal status in the country and dependents, as well as additional funds for food banks, virus testing and contact tracing efforts.
Efforts to provide assistance to low income essential workers did not pass as the Department of Workforce Solutions stated it would not be possible to identify the population and issues checks to them in a timely manner. Lawmakers vowed to revisit the issue when they meet for the 2021 session which begins on January 19.
Most of the proposed spending will be made possible by federal relief funding previously assigned to New Mexico, including around $319 million in unspent funds that were expected to expire soon. An additional $10 million in state general funds were allocated for testing and tracing efforts.
The bill passed during the special session will provide:
- $194 million for single checks of $1,200 apiece from the Department of Workforce Solutions to New Mexicans who qualify for unemployment benefits or pandemic aid programs, which would likely reach about 160,000 New Mexicans.
- $100 million for grants through the New Mexico Finance Authority to small local businesses and nonprofit groups. Businesses financially injured by shutdowns caused by the virus, especially those in the hospitality and leisure industries, would be placed first in line.
- $5 million, through the Human Services Department for $750 checks to families ineligible for other federal stimulus funds, including undocumented immigrants.
- $15 million, through the Department of Finance and Administration, for assistance to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
- $5 million for food banks serving the hungry.
In addition, $10 million from state funds were appropriated to the Department of Health for its important work in quelling the coronavirus pandemic, as well as $200,000 was appropriated to New Mexico courts to cover expenses of adjudicating disputes over public health orders.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill immediately.
The City of Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department reports receiving 589 applications for the first round its Small Business Economic Relief Grant Program. The City will issue one-time grants of up to $10,000 to small (50 or fewer full-time employees) businesses and locally-owned franchises within the city limits. Business owners must show that they have been affected by the pandemic.
The first round of applications ran from October 26-30, and a second round just closed on November 13. There will be a third opportunity for business owners to submit grant applications from December 7 to December 11, 2020.
The Bernalillo County government closed its window for Small Business Grant applications on October 28.
Both the City and County grants come out of Federal CARES Act funding.
For more information, see the CABQ website at https://www.cabq.gov/economicdevelopment/small-business-economic-relief-grant