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

SPONSOR Cisneros

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/17/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Emergency Medical Services Fund

SB 50

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$800.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

FY10

$800.0

Recurring

Emergency

Medical

Services Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD)

No Responses Received From

State Treasurer’s Office

Association of Counties

New Mexico Municipal League

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 50 appropriates $800.0 from the general fund to the Emergency Medical Services

Fund for expenditure in accordance with the emergency medical fund distribution formula in

fiscal year 2008 and subsequent fiscal years.

Senate Bill 50 – Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $800.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall revert to the

general fund.

DOH currently receives approximately $3.9 million in general fund for the emergency medical

services through the Emergency Medical Services Fund. DOH reports the funding in the

proposed legislation would augment the $3.9 million in Emergency Medical Services Fund Act

appropriations to the department.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH reports New Mexico has approximately 450 emergency medical services. Of these, about

half are staffed by a volunteer workforce. DOH notes many services are located in rural

communities, which have difficulty providing financial support for day-to-day operational needs

and education and training necessary for the certification and licensure of the volunteer

providers. The Emergency Medical Services Fund Act provides vital funding for many of these

services.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH reports that the proposed legislation is consistent with the department’s goals for

epidemiology and response division in regards to ensuring preparedness for health emergencies,

including pandemic influenza, and improved emergency medical services and trauma care across

the state.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DOH currently administers the Emergency Medical Services Fund and distributes awards to

emergency medical services statewide based on applications.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

HSEMD reports that with federal funds for emergency medical services continually decreasing,

New Mexico would be less capable of improving statewide delivery of life saving emergency

services to residents.

RPG/mt