[1] NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only 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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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Varela

 

DATE TYPED:

1/29/02

 

HB

209

 

SHORT TITLE:

Youth Smoking Cessation & Prevention Program

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Esquibel

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$1,810.3

 

 

Recurring

TSPF

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to Appropriation in The General Appropriation Act of $7,225.0.

 

Duplicates SB237, Relates to SB101

                                                                                                                                                           

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 209 appropriates $1,810.3 from the tobacco settlement program fund to DOH to contract for seed money for a youth smoking cessation and prevention program in youth organizations statewide.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $1,810.3 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the tobacco settlement program fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY03 shall revert to the tobacco settlement program fund.

 

HB2 et al currently contains an appropriation of $7,225.0 from the tobacco settlement program fund for smoking cessation and prevention programs, including $275.0 for media literacy.  DOH received $5,000.0 from the tobacco settlement program fund in FY02 for the same purposes.

 

TECHNICAL ISSUES

 

The bill does not define “youth” raising questions if the target population should be early school programs, teenagers, young adults or a combination of these groups.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

DOH reports teen smoking is on the rise in New Mexico, with 36.2% of high school students smoking.  The national rate is 34.8%.

 

Currently, there are 16 school districts in New Mexico with contracts from DOH to conduct smoking prevention, education and cessation activities.  DOH is developing a contract with a media literacy organization to provide media literacy services statewide.

 

A major prevention function within DOH is the responsibility for enforcing federal and state tobacco laws to prevent merchants from selling tobacco products to youth under the age of 18.

 

RAE/njw

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