HOUSE BILL 108

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Kristina Ortez and Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH; CREATING THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE PROGRAM; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public Health Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] STATEWIDE PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE PROGRAM.--

          A. By January 1, 2026, the environmental health epidemiology bureau of the epidemiology and response division of the department shall establish a statewide public health and climate program.

          B. In implementing the statewide public health and climate program, the environmental health epidemiology bureau shall:

                (1) help improve interagency collaboration focused on health equity, reducing health impacts of extreme weather and climate change adaptation in New Mexico;

                (2) assist in the formulation of concrete, coordinated and cohesive action plans supporting local communities in building health resiliency to future climate impacts;

                (3) provide climate and public health expertise to assist local community planning and response by county and tribal public health councils together with the environmental protection division of the department of environment and the homeland security and emergency management department in:

                     (a) making health-informed decisions about current and future climate impacts;

                     (b) integrating the latest climate and public health science into local, regional and statewide emergency preparedness programs; and

                     (c) accessing federal and other funds for climate adaptation; and

                (4) facilitate meaningful agency and community engagement within communities most harmed, or determined by climate science as most likely to be harmed, by extreme weather events."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--One million one hundred thousand dollars ($1,100,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal year 2026 to support the statewide public health and climate program within the environmental health epidemiology bureau of the epidemiology and response division of the department of health. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2026 shall revert to the general fund.

- 3 -