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

SPONSOR Vaughn

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/22/08

01/23/08 HB 76/aHCPAC

SHORT TITLE Otero Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program

SB

ANALYST Hanika-Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee Amendment

The HCPAC amendment strikes “emphasizes abstinence and sexual responsibility" and inserts

in lieu thereof “provides a comprehensive educational approach, including a combination of

abstinence, sexual responsibility, contraception and disease prevention".

Significant Issues

DOH policies will only support programs that provide a comprehensive educational approach to

teen pregnancy prevention.

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Bill 76 appropriates $100 thousand from the General Fund to DOH for expenditure in

FY09 to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program in Otero County that emphasizes

abstinence and sexual responsibility.

House Bill 76/aHCPAC– Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General

Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to

the General Fund. The appropriation included in the bill is not part of the DOH’s Executive

Budget Request for FY09.

The Department will contract the funds to local agencies through the state procurement process.

The activities proposed in this bill could be incorporated into the NM DOH Family Planning

Program Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program.

DOH elected to not re-apply for federal abstinence monies in FY2007-2008.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Comprehensive sex education is one of the evidence-based strategies recommended by DOH for

teen pregnancy prevention. Comprehensive sex education teaches about abstinence as the best

method for avoiding sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy, but also teaches

about condoms and contraception. It teaches interpersonal and communication skills and helps

young people explore their own values, goals, and options, and to make responsible decisions

about their sexuality and reproductive health. A program that emphasizes abstinence and sexual

responsibility should also follow these guidelines.

According to the DOH and PED, New Mexico’s teen birth rates decreased by 16% from 1998 to

2004 while the U.S. teen birth rates decreased by 26% from 1998 to 2004.

In 2005, the birth rate for 15-17 year olds in Otero County was 18.9 per 1,000 with 31 births, or

2% of the state’s total. There are 1,637 female teens ages 15-17 in Otero County.

In 2005, the New Mexico teen birth rate for 15-17 year olds was 35.7 per 1,000 females, a rate

1.7 times higher than the national teen birth rate of 21 per 1,000.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

While the funding is not included in DOH’s Executive Budget Request, HB 76 aligns with the

FY09 DOH Strategic Plan, Objective 2, Reduce Teen Pregnancy, as evaluated under the

performance measure Annual Teen Birth Rate for Females ages 15 to 17.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DOH policy requires any curriculum used by Department employees or contractors to be

evidence-based and approved by the Medical Oversight Committee. The DOH does not fund

programs that do not follow a comprehensive educational approach to teen pregnancy prevention

that includes a combination of abstinence, sexual responsibility, contraception and disease

prevention.

The PED reports that this program will not meet the Department’s Health Education Content

Standards with Benchmarks and Performance Standards.

House Bill 76/aHCPAC– Page

3

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Funding may not be available to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program in Otero County

that emphasizes abstinence and sexual responsibility.

AHO/bb:mt