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

SPONSOR Campos

DATE TYPED 3/12/05

HB

SHORT TITLE NM State Hospital Name Change

SB 883/aHGUAC

ANALYST Hanika-Ortiz

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

None

$50.0

Non-recurring Various

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HGUAC Amendment

The House Government and Urban Affairs Committee amendment replaces “institute” with

“school” resulting in the “New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired”, as that is

the correct title according to the PED.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 883 proposes to change the name of the New Mexico State Hospital to the New Mex-

ico Behavioral Health Institute at Las Vegas. SB 883 will also amend the names of other state

institutions within the meaning of Section 6-13-2 NMSA 1978, to be more responsive to the per-

ceptions, needs and cultural sensitivity of individuals. The Funds associated with these institu-

tions will also reflect the current name change.

Significant Issues

There has been confusion in the community in associating the New Mexico State Hospital with a

facility that provides medical and surgical health care services. The medical staff passed a mo-

tion in 2003 in support of the name change to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute, as it

Senate Bill 883/aHGUAC-- Page 2

is consistent with their behavioral healthcare service objectives.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The proposed name changes may require amendments or revisions to various New Mexico stat-

utes.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Costs associated with additional staff time and changes to state institution signage, telephone di-

rectories, web sites, and stationary is estimated at $50 thousand.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Minimal staff time to implement changes.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

PED requests replacing “institute” with “school” resulting in the “New Mexico School for the

Blind and Visually Impaired”, as that is the correct title according to the PED.

PED also suggests deleting “at Las Vegas” after all references to the New Mexico Behavioral

Health Institute, or leave similar descriptors for all other state institutions for consistency.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Proposed name changes to be reflected in statute:

New Mexico State University,

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology,

New Mexico Highlands University,

Northern New Mexico State School

Western New Mexico University,

Northern New Mexico State School,

New Mexico Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired,

Eastern New Mexico University,

Los Lunas Medical Center,

Penitentiary of New Mexico,

New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute at Las Vegas,

New Mexico Boys’ School,

Department of Health, (from the Health and Environment Department).

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Section 6-13-2 NMSA 1978 will remain unchanged.

AHO/yr:rs