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

SPONSOR	Crook		DATE TYPED	02/06/04		HB	359
SHORT TITLE		NM Nursing Education				SB
					ANALYST		Williams

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	$500.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 91/SB 25, HB 341

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act: HAFC-substitute for House Bill 2 includes $69.9 thousand recurring general fund for nursing expansion along with $1.3 million non-recurring general fund for nursing and teacher education programs.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

Public Education Department

Commission on Higher Education

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 359 appropriates $500.0 thousand from the general fund to the governing board of Clovis Community College for the purpose of increasing admissions and supporting the Associate of Applied Science in nursing program.

Significant Issues

DOH notes the pass rate on the state board examinations for nursing students from Clovis Community College was 100% last year. The program offers live satellite broadcasts with outreach to Raton.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500.0 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2005 would revert to the general fund.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DOH notes the severe nursing shortage nationally and in New Mexico and provides supporting data. Health Policy Commission notes New Mexico is below the national average for active registered nurses per 100,000 population.

DOH notes the proposal is consistent with the DOH Strategic Plan, Goal B for Program Area II: Assure access to and quality of basic health systems such as primary care, rural health (including community hospitals) and school health services.

PED notes the current nurse/student ratio in the state is one nurse for 888.56 students, and 6.7% of New Mexico school districts do not have a school nurse.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. Is this appropriation consistent with the institution’s strategic plan?
2. How would performance outcomes be measured?

AW/yr