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

SPONSOR Papen

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/08

1/29/08 HB

SHORT TITLE UNM Rural Health Care Outreach Program

SB 93

ANALYST Cox

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$1,800.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

University of New Mexico (UNM)

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

Higher Education Department (HED)

New Mexico Health Policy Commission – HPC

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 93 appropriates $1,800,000 from the General Fund to the Board of Regents of the

University of New Mexico (UNM) for expenditure in FY 2009. In partnership with the New

Mexico State University (NMSU) network of Cooperative Extension Service offices, SB93

funding will support a comprehensive rural health care outreach program creating Health

Extension Rural Offices (HEROs) so that local health priorities can be addressed more

effectively.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of one million eight hundred thousand dollars ($1,800,000) contained in this

bill is a recurring expense to the general Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance

remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2009 shall revert to the General Fund.

Senate Bill 93 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Higher Education Department states that:

Per UNM 2008 Legislative Priority information and other articles found on the UNM and NMSU

websites, SB 93 supports the implementation of Health Extension Rural Offices or HEROs

throughout New Mexico. Based in existing NMSU Cooperative Extension Service offices, the

HEROs would become a bridge between communities and health experts and resources at both

universities. Through the collaboration with NMSU and with support from other planned

partners (UNM Office of Community Health and NMSU College of Health and Social Services),

the UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC) intends to:

•

Address prevention and the major health problems affecting New Mexicans

•

Improve the health of underserved communities by providing more regular access to

health care professionals

•

Reduce health disparities

Department of Health says that many rural areas of New Mexico are considered federally

designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). Currently, 31 of New Mexico’s 33

counties are designated as HPSAs. SB93 aims to improve resources, communication and

healthcare information in New Mexico’s rural counties by supporting cooperative outreach

activities of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and the New Mexico State

University Cooperative Extension Program.

NMSU notes that New Mexico needs to improve K-12 education and student retention in order

to ensure a continuing pipeline for future leaders in the technical and engineering areas.

Additionally due to various emerging environmental regulations, rural communities throughout

New Mexico need to receive on-going training, education and outreach on the potential impact

of the new regulations on their community. This bill would provide funds for expansion of the

statewide K-12 program for middle and high school students, as well as rural communities

throughout the state starting with Dona Ana, Luna, and Otero. The program would be delivered

by New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering-IEE/WERC Program

.

DUPLICATE RELATIONSHIP

Senate Bill 93 is a duplicate Bill of House Bill 428

PRC/mt