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 for other purposes.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Gonzales

 

DATE TYPED:

3/5/03

 

HB

522

 

SHORT TITLE:

Implement Nurse In Every School Program

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Segura

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$3,200.0

 

See Narrative

Recurring

GF

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates: SB 465, Implement Nurse in every School Program

Relates to:  HB 457, Medication to Public School Students

                   HB 528, Medication to Public School Students

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

State Department of Education (SDE)

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

Department of Health DOH)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 522 appropriates $3,200.0 from the general fund to the State Department of Public Education (SDE) for implementation of the Nurse In Every School Program.  The program shall be phased in over a five-year period with priority given to those schools that have the fewest number of school nurses employed. 

 

     Significant Issues

 

The SBE may develop exceptions to the Nurse In Every School Program for small rural districts.  In addition, the bill requires that, effective with the 2003-2004 school year, one fifth of New Mexico’s schools shall have a nurse in every school with specific target every year to ensure that by the 2006-2007 school year, a nurse shall be employed in every New Mexico school.

 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $3,200.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.  The appropriation will increase by approximately $3,200.0 for each subsequent year until the 2007-2008 school year when the bill requires a nurse in every school.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

Increasing school nurses in New Mexico would add additional responsibility to the DOH Public Health District Officers who have the legal responsibility for the supervision of school health personnel.  The responsibilities of School Health Advocates will also be affected.

 

TECHNICAL ISSUES

 

In its analysis of this bill, SDE suggests the State Board of Education (SBE) may not be the best agency to determine to this program in small rural districts; and suggests the DOH may be better suited to determine exceptions.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

According to the new Mexico Public Schools Nursing Staff Data Report, 1999-2000, there were 373 school nurses available for 758 school buildings, and that the ratio of school nurses to students varied from 1:488 to 1:2,150.  Improvements in the school nurse-student ratio have improved over the past five years due in part to the Medicaid in the Schools Program.

 

The shortage of nurses in New Mexico and nationally has been well defined.  It is projected that by the year 2005, New Mexico’s shortage will reach 25% of need and increase to 36% in 2010 and 57% in 2020.  The CHE reports that, based on collaborative actions with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, recommendations to address the nurse shortage were developed and included doubling the number of nurse graduates (from 500 to 1,000 yearly) starting in three years and continuing for the next 15 or 20 years.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.               Will there be enough trained nurses in New Mexico to implement the Nurses In Every School Program in each of the years listed in the bill?

2.               Will sanctions be imposed on school districts that do not or cannot comply with the provisions of the bill?

3.               The bill addresses schools.  Does this bill affect private schools?

 

RS/yr :prr