44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

SUPPORTING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL RYAN WHITE COMPREHENSIVE AIDS RESOURCES EMERGENCY ACT OF 1990.

WHEREAS, the incidence rate of new acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases among Latino Americans is four times that of non-Latino Americans; and

WHEREAS, Latinos comprised twenty percent of new AIDS cases in 1998, although Latinos make up only eleven percent of the United States population; and

WHEREAS, the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is now growing more rapidly among women than among men, with Latinas compromising twenty-one percent of new cases in 1998; and

WHEREAS, AIDS is increasing rapidly among young people, with one-fourth of all new HIV infections in the United States occurring in people under the age of twenty-two; and

WHEREAS, large numbers of children will confront the harsh reality of becoming AIDS orphans, with thirty thousand children in New York City alone projected to lose their mothers to AIDS deaths by 2001; and

WHEREAS, although AIDS deaths have been declining for several years, largely due to new effective drug therapies, the rate of decline among Latinos has been slower; and

WHEREAS, vast numbers of Latinos lack access to effective drug therapies, as sixty-three percent of poor and near-poor Latino children and ninety-five percent of poor and near-poor Latino adults lack medical insurance, which are much higher percentages than for the population as a whole; and

WHEREAS, the risk factors among Latino subgroups vary considerably by geography, national origin and tradition, making it imperative that diverse and culturally sensitive prevention, treatment and community outreach programs be tailored to particular target populations; and

WHEREAS, the greatest risk to Latinas now occurs through heterosexual contact; and

WHEREAS, the recent life-prolonging and life-enhancing advances in HIV drug therapy save money for the health care system as a whole by keeping HIV patients productive longer and preventing costly hospitalizations and nursing home admissions, but paying for the needed drug therapy is beyond the financial reach of vast numbers of persons with HIV; and

WHEREAS, nationally, the state AIDS drug assistance programs have filled gaps in drug coverage by providing HIV drugs to over five hundred thousand persons not eligible for medicaid who lack insurance or any other payment source for medication; and

WHEREAS, growing numbers of persons are becoming eligible for drug assistance programs and are seeking clinical treatment due to recent HIV drug therapy advances; and

WHEREAS, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990, which congress passed by wide, bipartisan margins in 1990 following the death of teenager Ryan White, will expire unless it is reauthorized; and

WHEREAS, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990 has supplied one billion four million dollars ($1,004,000,000) in critically needed federal funds to help cities and states provide medical care, prescription drugs, transportation, counseling and home and hospice care to patients suffering with AIDS; and

WHEREAS, unmet medical needs of HIV patients, including Latinos, continue to be significant; and

WHEREAS, the national association of Latino elected and appointed officials (NALEO) adopted at its October 1999 policy institute a resolution calling for state legislative support of congressional action to continue the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990 funding; and

WHEREAS, NALEO also recommended increased state funding for HIV and AIDS programs;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico congressional delegation be requested to support the continued and increased funding under the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this legislature pass special increased funding for HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be sent to the members of New Mexico's congressional delegation.