The first state in the union is about to offer universal child care.

I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles.

Starting in November, New Mexico will make child care accessible to all families, regardless of income.

Marketplace's Savannah Peters reports.

New Mexico already has the most expansive child care assistance in the country. Since 2021, it's offered free care to most households.

Right now, the cutoff is about $128,000 a year for a family of four.

But Jessica Brown, an economist at the University of South Carolina, says footing the bill for everyone else will make a difference.

I mean, even for middle

and high-income families, child care is expensive. It takes up a huge fraction of people's budgets,

often as much, sometimes more than a mortgage. Brown says universal free care could boost

demand for child care in New Mexico, which could make it easier for centers to stay in

business. Okay, this is great as long as people can still find slots for their kids.

The state's existing program has boosted the number of slots by about 7%, according to research

from the University of New Mexico. But the state's program is paid for with surplus revenue

from its oil and gas holdings. And Brown says that makes it difficult for other states to replicate.

In Albuquerque, I'm Savannah Peters for Marketplace. France is bracing for fresh political turmoil

after the government lost a confidence vote in Parliament by a large

margin. Prime Minister Francois Bayru handed in his resignation over the last hour. He had wanted to cut

government spending but failed to win enough support for that, like in the United States. France

has an enduring habit of spending more than it takes in. Here's the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister, and translation.

France hasn't balanced the books in 51 years.

Throughout the past 51 years, each year spending increases.

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