[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:	Altamirano		DATE TYPED:	01/29/02		HB
SHORT TITLE:		San Juan College Dental Training Program				SB	155
					ANALYST:		Baca

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

$635.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB 129

Relates to HB 2

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 155 appropriates $635.0 to the governing board of San Juan College (SJC) to establish the dental program and dental auxiliary consortium training program.

Significant Issues

The New Mexico Health Policy Commission’s Fall 1999 response to the 1998 Senate Joint Memorial 21 reported a shortage of trained oral health personnel and recommended enhanced funding to New Mexico post-secondary institutions to support dental education programs.

Bills to support statewide dental auxiliary training education start-up costs have been presented in the New Mexico Legislature annually since 1998. Concurrently, according to the CHE, associate-degree-granting institutions around the state have undertaken coordinated curriculum planning and local infrastructure development to support dental and dental hygiene training programs.

The CHE analysis further states that SJC presented to the CHE a Research and Public Service Project request for $434.5 expansion of their current $200.0 general fund appropriation for the Dental Auxiliary Consortium of community colleges first funded in 2000. SJC ranked this proposal first of three research and public service projects submitted by the institution to the CHE.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $635.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY2003shall revert to the general fund.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

Senate Bill 155 duplicates House Bill 129, and relates to House Bill 2.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The following information is provided for information only. It is not intended as a commentary on the merits of the program:

This program was presented to approved by the SJC Governing Board. However, this program expansion was not recommended by the CHE.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. How successful has the existing program been thus far?

2. Is the shortage of trained personnel still as acute as reported by the Health Policy Commission ‘s 1999 report to the Legislature?

LB/ar:prr