Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Rehm

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

3/14/2007

HM 102

SHORT TITLE Study Driving While on Drugs

SB

ANALYST Schuss

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

Non-

Recurring General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Memorial 102 requests the creation of a task force to study and make recommendations

on how to effectively address the problem of driving under the influence of drugs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There will be a potential cost to the general fund to convene the task force that HM 102 requests,

although DOT and DOH report that there will be no fiscal implications.

The task force is to be convened by the Chief of the Traffic Safety Bureau (DOT), the Director

of the Scientific Laboratory Division (DOH) and the Secretary of Public Safety (DPS).

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

House Memorial 102 states that driving under the influence of drugs is a serious problem in New

Mexico. Twenty-two percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes involved drugs other than alcohol in

the years 2000 to 2006 in New Mexico and between the years 2000 and 2006, the incidence of

cocaine use in fatal motor vehicle crashes increased by one hundred seventy percent in New

Mexico. Between the years 2000 and 2006, the incidence of methamphetamine use involved in

House Memorial 102 – Page

2

fatal motor vehicle crashes increased by eighty-nine percent in New Mexico and it is rare that

anyone in New Mexico is charged or convicted of driving under the influence of drugs.

HM 102 states that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that sixteen

thousand people are killed annually due to drunk and drugged driving; and they estimate that

drugs are used by approximately ten to twenty-two percent of drivers involved in motor vehicle

crashes, often in combination with alcohol. In recent years, drugs other than alcohol that act on

the brain have increasingly been recognized as hazards to road traffic safety.

The House of Representatives of the State of New Mexico requests that the Chief of the Traffic

Safety Bureau DOT, the Director of the Scientific Laboratory Division of DOH and the

Secretary of Public Safety convene a task force to study the extent of the problem of driving

under the influence of drugs in New Mexico and how such a problem can be addressed.

HM 102 also requests that the task force research the effectiveness of other state laws in

addressing the problem of driving under the influence of drugs and make recommendations for

changes in New Mexico law to more effectively address the problem of driving under the

influence of drugs and that those responsible for convening the task force report to the

appropriate Interim Legislative Committee by November 2007 on the study and the

recommendations of the task force.

DOH reports that in New Mexico, the top 3 drugs other than alcohol that are seen in drivers

arrested for driving under the influence are THC (marijuana), cocaine and

amphetamines/methamphetamines, and the number of these cases has increased significantly

over the past 5 years.

BS/csd