45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO HEALTH; PROVIDING FOR RECRUITMENT OF DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS TO SERVE IN UNDERSERVED AREAS OF NEW MEXICO; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 13-1-98 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 65, Section 71, as amended) is amended to read:

"13-1-98. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PROCUREMENT CODE.--The provisions of the Procurement Code shall not apply to:

A. procurement of items of tangible personal property or services by a state agency or a local public body from a state agency, a local public body or external procurement unit except as otherwise provided in Sections 13-1-135 through 13-1-137 NMSA 1978;

B. procurement of tangible personal property or services for the governor's mansion and grounds;

C. printing and duplicating contracts involving materials [which] that are required to be filed in connection with proceedings before administrative agencies or state or federal courts;

D. purchases of publicly provided or publicly regulated gas, electricity, water, sewer and refuse collection services;

E. purchases of books and periodicals from the publishers or copyright holders thereof;

F. travel or shipping by common carrier or by private conveyance or to meals and lodging;

G. purchase of livestock at auction rings or to the procurement of animals to be used for research and experimentation or exhibit;

H. contracts with businesses for public school transportation services;

I. procurement of tangible personal property or services, as defined by Sections 13-1-87 and 13-1-93 NMSA 1978, by the corrections industries division of the corrections department pursuant to regulations adopted by the corrections commission, which shall be reviewed by the purchasing division of the general services department prior to adoption;

J. minor purchases not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) consisting of magazine subscriptions, conference registration fees and other similar purchases where prepayments are required;

K. municipalities having adopted home rule charters and having enacted their own purchasing ordinances;

L. the issuance, sale and delivery of public securities pursuant to the applicable authorizing statute, with the exception of bond attorneys and general financial consultants;

M. contracts entered into by a local public body with a private independent contractor for the operation, or provision and operation, of a jail pursuant to Sections 33-3-26 and 33-3-27 NMSA 1978;

N. contracts for maintenance of grounds and facilities at highway rest stops and other employment opportunities, excluding those intended for the direct care and support of persons with handicaps, entered into by state agencies with private, nonprofit, independent contractors who provide services to persons with handicaps;

O. contracts and expenditures for services to be paid or compensated by money or other property transferred to New Mexico law enforcement agencies by the United States department of justice drug enforcement administration;

P. contracts for retirement and other benefits pursuant to Sections 22-11-47 through 22-11-52 NMSA 1978;

Q. contracts with professional entertainers; [and]

R. contracts and expenditures for litigation expenses in connection with proceedings before administrative agencies or state or federal courts, including experts, mediators, court reporters, process servers and witness fees, but not including attorney contracts; and

S. contracts with health professionals entered into under the Health Service Corps Act."

Section 2. Section 24-1D-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1994, Chapter 63, Section 2) is amended to read:

"24-1D-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Health Service Corps Act:

A. "corps" means the New Mexico health service corps;

B. "dentist" means an individual who has graduated and received a diploma from a dental college or school of dentistry of a university that is accredited by the American dental association commission on dental accreditation;

C. "dental hygienist" means an individual who has graduated and received a diploma from an accredited dental hygiene educational program that provides a minimum of two academic years of dental hygiene curriculum, and is an institution of higher education accredited by the American dental association commission on dental accreditation;

[B.] D. "department" means the department of health;

[C.] E. "health professional" means a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, [or] emergency medical technician-paramedic, dentist or dental hygienist;

[D.] F. "physician" means a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine;

[E.] G. "physician assistant" means a physician assistant or osteopathic physician assistant; and

[F.] H. "practice site" means a public health clinic or public or private nonprofit primary care clinic that is located in a state-designated medically underserved area or that serves a high-needs population and that uses a sliding fee scale approved by the department."

Section 3. APPROPRIATION.--One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 to develop and implement a New Mexico health service corps dentist and dental hygienist recruitment program to provide dental services in the areas of New Mexico underserved by dentists and dental hygienists. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2003 shall revert to the general fund.