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

RELATING TO EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NURSE IN EVERY SCHOOL PROGRAM; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

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

Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] NURSE IN EVERY SCHOOL PROGRAM--IMPLEMENTATION--EXCEPTION.--

A. The state board shall adopt rules for the implementation of the "nurse in every school program". Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, the program shall ensure that a department of education certified nurse is employed in every public school in New Mexico. The nurse in every school program shall be phased in over a five-year period as follows, with priority given to those school districts that have the fewest number of nurses employed:

(1) effective with the 2003-2004 school year, one-fifth of New Mexico's schools shall have a nurse in every school;

(2) effective with the 2004-2005 school year, two-fifths of New Mexico's schools shall have a nurse in every school;

(3) effective with the 2005-2006 school year, three-fifths of New Mexico's schools shall have a nurse in every school;

(4) effective with the 2006-2007 school year, four-fifths of New Mexico's schools shall have a nurse in every school; and

(5) effective with the 2007-2008 school year, a nurse shall be employed in every New Mexico School.

B. The state board may develop exceptions to the nurse in every school program requirements for small rural school districts."

Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Three million two hundred thousand dollars ($3,200,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the state department of public education for expenditure in fiscal year 2004 for the purpose of implementing the nurse in every school program. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.