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

SPONSOR Trujillo

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/29/07

HB 294

SHORT TITLE

Central NM Communication of EKG Info

SB

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$300.0

recurring

general fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

Memo dated 05/11/06, Assistant Attorney General (AG)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 294 appropriates $300 thousand to DFA to enable the St. Vincent's Regional Medical

Center to establish a system for transmitting electrocardiogram (ECG) information between

emergency services providers particularly in north central New Mexico.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300 thousand contained in HB 294 is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 will revert to the

general fund. The appropriation is considered recurring because additional funding may be

needed to cover ongoing costs associated with system maintenance and staff training.

This appropriation relates to a component of Invest NM, funding the establishment and

maintenance of health information exchange systems.

House Bill 294 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Larger communities in north central New Mexico currently use this system. The intention of HB

294 is to extend the services into smaller, more rural communities.

This technology is crucial in the care of heart patients in a life and death situation. By providing

emergency medical personnel the ability to transmit electrocardiogram reading to the hospital's

on-call physician, a better diagnosis and treatment plan can be initiated. This enhances patient’s

chances of survival by reducing damage done to the heart muscle.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DFA reports the department will not experience any adverse performance implications because

of this appropriation.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DFA will have direct oversight of the appropriation and provide technical assistance to St.

Vincent's Regional Medical Center.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to HB 293, to establish and implement an electronic medical records repository for north

central New Mexico

.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

An assumption is made within HB 294 that the establishment of a system for transmitting ECG

information is considered “maintenance" and within the original intent of Article IV, Section 31

of the New Mexico Constitution.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

When asked by DFA if St. Vincent’s Hospital is eligible to receive Legislative appropriations in

light of limitations contained in the New Mexico Constitution, the Assistant Attorney General in

a memo to the state Board of Finance dated 05/11/06 stated “…appropriations made by the

Legislature to St. Vincent’s for its maintenance are not prohibited by the New Mexico

Constitution".

The Assistant Attorney General further states that the language within Article IV, Section 31 and

Article IX, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution makes clear that the limited prohibition

to receive a Legislative appropriation does not include a hospital or charitable institution that

received maintenance appropriations, prior to Statehood, from the Legislative Assembly of the

Territory of New Mexico of l909. Those recipients remain eligible today to receive legislative

appropriation in his professional judgment.

AHO/mt