46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A STATEWIDE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TASK FORCE AND A PILOT PROGRAM OF THE "211" INFORMATION AND REFERRAL PROGRAM IN DONA ANA COUNTY; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--

A. One hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure by the developmental disabilities planning council in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 to establish an information and referral task force and to develop a pilot "211" information and referral program in Dona Ana county as follows:

(1) sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) to establish an information and referral task force to develop a statewide, comprehensive "211" information and referral plan, including a tariff structure based on existing agreements, a common taxonomy of terms, coordination between public and private systems and standardized statewide training and exploration of a centralized information repository. The task force shall include representation from the department of health; the human services department; the children, youth and families department; the labor department; the state agency on aging; the long-term care link program; the governor's committee on concerns of the handicapped; the commission for the blind; the commission for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons; a statewide organization that raises money for health and human service purposes; and other interested parties; and

(2) ninety thousand dollars ($90,000) to develop and implement a pilot "211" information and referral project in Dona Ana county.

B. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

Section 2. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.