SENATE BILL

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

Siah Correa Hemphill and Gerald Ortiz y Pino

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; CREATING THE HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT FUND TO PROVIDE FOR PROGRAMS THAT RECRUIT AND RETAIN HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL IN HEALTH CARE UNDERSERVED AREAS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 24-1A-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1981, Chapter 295, Section 1) is amended to read:

     "24-1A-1. SHORT TITLE.--[This act] Sections 24-1A-1 through 24-1A-4.1 NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Rural Primary Health Care Act"."

     SECTION 2. A new section of the Rural Primary Health Care Act, Section 24-1A-4.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:

     "24-1A-4.1. [NEW MATERIAL] HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT FUND--CREATED.--

          A. The "health care personnel recruitment fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, income from investment of the fund and any other revenue credited to the fund. The department shall administer the fund for the purpose of providing for programs that recruit and retain health care personnel in health care underserved areas, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to carry out the provisions of this section. Grants, distributions and transfers of money from the fund shall be made only from the income received from investment of the fund. Disbursements from the fund shall be by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of health or the secretary's authorized representative.

          B. Up to ten percent of the income received from investment of the health care personnel recruitment fund may be expended for costs of administration of the fund and administration of health care personnel recruitment and retention programs undertaken with fund money."

     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION.--Thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the health care personnel recruitment fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years to provide money for programs that recruit and retain health care personnel in health care underserved areas. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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