HOUSE BILL 643

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Rodolpho "Rudy" S. Martinez and Harry Garcia and William B. Pratt and Debra M. Sariñana and Deborah A. Armstrong

AN ACT

RELATING TO VETERANS' AFFAIRS; TRANSFERRING OVERSIGHT OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE VETERANS' HOME FROM THE VETERANS' SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 9-22-12.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2017, Chapter 84, Section 7) is amended to read:

     "9-22-12.1. HEALTH CARE COORDINATION DIVISION.--The health care coordination division shall:

          A. develop and coordinate veterans programs and outreach, including transitional living, housing and health care programs; and

          [B. provide oversight of the New Mexico state veterans' home; and

          C.] B. advise and coordinate with the secretary regarding all health care-related issues for veterans and veterans' families."

     SECTION 2. Section 23-1-12 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1977, Chapter 253, Section 42, as amended) is amended to read:

     "23-1-12. TRANSFER OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS.--

          A. All property, appropriations and cash balances now held in the name of the following institutional facilities, or by any state agency for the indicated facilities, the use of which is not limited by the terms of any trust or constitutional provision, and staff employed by the following institutional facilities, are transferred to the department of health:

                (1) New Mexico behavioral health institute at Las Vegas;

                (2) Los Lunas medical center;

                (3) Fort Bayard medical center veterans' unit;

                (4) Villa Solano;

                (5) Fort Stanton hospital;

                (6) Turquoise lodge; [and]

                (7) Pecos lodge; and

                (8) New Mexico state veterans' home.

          B. The secretary of health may delegate the authority for the supervision and operation of any of the institutional facilities transferred under Subsection A of this section to any of the organizational units within the department of health."

     SECTION 3. Section 23-4-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1974 (S.S.), Chapter 2, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

     "23-4-1. VETERANS' HOME CREATED--ADVISORY BOARD.--

          A. The "New Mexico state veterans' home" located near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is declared to be a state home for veterans of service in the armed forces of the United States and their qualifying spouses, surviving spouses and gold star parents.

          B. The "Fort Bayard medical center veterans' unit", a separate and distinct unit of the Fort Bayard medical center, located near Silver City, New Mexico, is declared to be a state home for veterans of service in the armed forces of the United States.

          C. There is created the "New Mexico veterans' home advisory board". The advisory board shall consist of nine members as follows:

                (1) the secretary of health or the secretary's designee;

                (2) the director of the health care coordination division of the veterans' services department;

                (3) the secretary of aging and long-term services or the secretary's designee;

                (4) the administrator of a private nursing home;

                (5) a registered health care professional who is employed by a public or private nursing home;

                (6) the state commander of the department of New Mexico veterans of foreign wars or the department commander's designee;

                (7) the department commander of the American legion or the department commander's designee;

                (8) the state commander of disabled American veterans or the state commander's designee; and

                (9) a member of any other congressionally recognized veteran service organization.

          D. The governor shall appoint the members designated in Paragraphs (4), (5) and (9) of Subsection C of this section, and their terms shall be for three years each.

          E. The New Mexico state veterans' home shall be under the control and oversight of the [veterans' services] department of health.

          F. The New Mexico veterans' home advisory board shall provide advice to the secretaries of veterans' services and health and the administrators of the New Mexico state veterans' home and the Fort Bayard medical center regarding veterans' services."

     SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2019.

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