NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Department of Health (DOH)

Office of Indian Affairs (OIA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 105 appropriates $2,982.4 from the general fund to the Office of Indian Affairs to contract for a rodent control program in McKinley County.

Significant Issues

The rodent control program proposed in Senate Bill 105 would:

1. Provided response team training and community education,

2. Purchase rodent control equipment and supplies, and

3. Make the buildings located at the Ramah Chapter rodent proof.

Senate Bill 105 contains an emergency clause.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Senate Bill 105 appropriates $2,982.4 from the general fund to the Office of Indian Affairs for expenditure in fiscal years 2000 and 2001. According to the Ramah Navajo Chapter, the chapter has the following financial commitments for the rodent control program:

• $45.0 from private sources,
• $15.0 from the Center for Disease Control, and
• a contribution of $43.0 from the Ramah Chapter House.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There would be no significant administrative impact to the Office of Indian Affairs. The agency would enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with a governmental entity to contract for the services required in Senate Bill 105.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the Department of Health, New Mexico leads the nation in the number of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases. Since the outbreak of the hantavirus in 1993, 47 cases have been identified in the Four Corners region. The next highest number of cases are in significantly higher populations, 26 in Arizona and 22 in California. The deer mouse, the reservoir for hantavirus, has been identified in various parts of the state. However, nearly two thirds of the cases have occurred in the northwestern region of the state, particularly among Native American populations.

The Ramah Chapter has initiated efforts to improve living conditions and educating members of the Navajo reservation in order to reduce the hantavirus disease. The chapter is working closely with the Department of Health's Office of Epidemiology and federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate and document the effect education and rodent proofing will have on the rodent density in their homes, and in reducing the number of hantavirus cases on the reservation.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

• There are over 600 homes located within the Ramah Chapter lands. Is the appropriation requested sufficient to rodent proof all the buildings at Ramah?



• Because of the close proximity of other chapters on the reservation, will the rodent control program be effective at the Ramah Chapter if other chapters do not implement the program?

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