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

SPONSOR Nava

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/06/2007

HB

SHORT TITLE Nurse in Every School Program Implementation

SB 320

ANALYST Aguilar

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$3,200.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Department of Health (DOH)

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 320 appropriates $3.2 million from the general fund to the Public Education

Department for the purpose of funding the initial year of a five year phase in of the nurse in

every school program.

The bill provides that by the 2011-2012 school year all schools in the state will employ a nurse.

The bill provides for exceptions for small rural school districts.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $3.2 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert

to the general fund.

Senate Bill 320 – Page

2

PED reports that at present there are 841 schools in New Mexico including charter schools. The

number of charter schools is expected to continue to expand annually.

Using a department estimate of $40,000 as an average salary it is projected to cost $33.6 million

for salaries and an additional $6.1 million in benefits for a total cost of $39.7 million to fully

implement the provisions of this bill. Based on a five-year phase-in this translates to

approximately $7.9 million annually.

This bill provides for the need for continuing appropriations to complete implementation. If

incremental funding is not appropriated in future years, this would become a significant

unfunded mandate for schools.

The LFC is concerned with funding programs outside of the funding formula in that it tends to

disequalize school funding.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Department of Health notes school nurses in New Mexico provide important health services

and are a critical link to the health care system for students and their families. According to the

most recent data available (2005-2006 School Health Services Report), there are 408 FTE school

nurses serving 758 public schools. This represents one nurse for every 750.5 public school

students, which is the ratio recommended by the National School Nurse Association. However,

the range of school nursing services varies significantly between school districts; some have a

nurse on every school campus full-time and other districts have as few as one nurse who covers

six school campuses. In some areas, school nurses travel long distances between schools and

may be at a particular campus for as few as three hours per week.

DOH reports that school based health centers have significantly increased in the last two years; if

enacted, DOH would work to establish an effective interface with school nurses.

The proposed SB 320 may be challenged by the significant nursing shortage currently in New

Mexico.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Department of Health has an active role in the support, training and technical assistance for

school nurses. In addition, the Regional Health Officers, by law, have a role in school nurse

supervision. This proposed large expansion of school nursing would increase the demand on

DOH staff for school nurse support, for which additional staff might be required over time, as the

initiative goes statewide.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The Department of Health suggests the following for consideration by the Legislature:

Page 1, line 22, Delete the words “certified nurse" and replace with the words “Registered nurse

certified by the PED".

PA/csd