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 Papen

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/01/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Dona Ana Emergency Medicine Dispensing

SB 472

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$60.0

recurring

general fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 472 appropriates $60 thousand from the general fund to the DOH to pay for

emergency medicine dispensing services in Dona Ana County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $60 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

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

general fund.

The appropriation requested was not in the Executive Budget Recommendation for FY08.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to representatives of the local behavioral health collaborative, the bill will provide

funding for a mental health professional who can prescribe for individuals who have an

immediate need for medication to avert a medical and/or psychiatric crisis.

Several things increase the number of mentally ill people in Dona Ana County beyond what

Senate Bill 472 – Page

2

would be expected in a county with its population: proximity to El Paso and the porous Mexican

border, the intersections of I-10 & I-25 allowing easy access, and the mild climate which

provides a harbor to a large number of transient individuals with mental illness.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

SB 472 requires the DOH to issue and manage an RFP to contract with a local entity for the

management of emergency medicine prescribing services. All contracts created through this

funding will adhere to the Procurement Code.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

33% or 60,115 of Dona Ana County’s population are medically indigent. These figures do not

include migrant/seasonal farm workers and their non-working dependents.

AHO/nt