(SANTA FE, NM) – We’re officially in the last week of the 60-day legislative session, with all business ending next Saturday the 22nd at 12:00PM noon. Legislation considered today include measures that:
Allow Certified Nurse Anesthetists to Provide Care Independently
Senate Bill 78 (passed 29-2) grants Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists the ability and authority to practice independently without the requirements for supervision by physicians, osteopathic physicians, dentists, and podiatrists. This bill would provide enhanced care in rural areas, cost efficiency, professional autonomy, and alignment with national trends. Because of the lack of anesthesiologists in many areas of our state, Certified Nurse Anesthetists currently provide most anesthesia services in non-metropolitan areas of New Mexico. Without them, rural hospitals and clinics would be unable to perform many procedures.
“This group of anesthetists have been providing this care since 2004, but we want to provide certainty and codify this in law. This is some of the only healthcare that’s truly available in some of our more rural communities,” shared Senate Bill 78 Sponsor Senator Michael Padilla (D-Albuquerque).
Require Disclosure from For-Profit Entities that Take Donations
Passing by a unanimous vote of 32-0, Senate Bill 259 does three main things: it requires 1) clear and conspicuous disclosure language on donation bins if the contents of that bin will benefit a for-profit entity, 2) if a non-profit uses a third-party, for-profit entity to run a campaign, they must make transparency reports about the details of that relationship available online, and 3) if a for-profit thrift store uses charitable messaging, they must clearly disclose to consumers their for-profit nature.
“We need this bill so that when any of us are donating goods, we know what those donations are going to. If I want to make sure my donations are going to an organization that is a non-profit doing good things in our community, I should be able to have that information. Right now, people often think they’re donating to a non-profit but are actually giving to a for-profit entity,” said Senate Bill 259 Sponsor Senator Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque).
Eliminate Out-of-Pocket Costs for Behavioral Health Services
Passing by a vote of 19-14, Senate Bill 120 would permanently eliminate cost-sharing for behavioral health services. This would make seeking and sustaining care more affordable for patients, leading to less acute episodes that necessitate costly emergency care. Given all the effort that has been put into increasing access to behavioral health services this legislative session, this is a key piece of legislation to ensure communities are able to access to resources they need.
“Cost sharing can be quite sizable, particularly if patients are going into rehab. When there are financial barriers, it’s been shown that people don’t take up the services they need, which would render all the work we’ve been doing this session ineffective,” said Senate Bill 120’s Sponsor and medical doctor, Senator Martin Hickey (D-Albuquerque).
Adjust Funding Streams to Strengthen Critical Statewide Programs
SB 535 helps to fill a funding gap for the Workers’ Compensation Administration Fund by raising the quarterly fees paid by employers and employees four times over a period of eight years. Workers’ Compensation Fees have not increased since 1990, leaving that fund paying out more than it takes in. The bill also creates a new 988 Lifeline Fund, administered by the Health Care Authority, benefitting the confidential 988 hotline. This service will be paid for by increasing the telecommunications relay service surcharge from 0.33% to 1.66%. A remaining 20% of the proceeds raised by this surcharge increase will benefit the Telecommunication Access Fund which supports access to telecommunications services for New Mexicans who are hearing or speech impaired. The bill passed on a vote of 24-13.
“The 988 Lifeline Fund will save the lives of New Mexicans facing mental health struggles, alcohol and drug use concerns, and emotional distress. The revenue from the Fund will go to support people that are deaf and hard-of-hearing, so they can text or use text-to-speech when accessing the crisis hotline,” shared Senate Bill 535’s Sponsor Senator George Muñoz (D-Gallup).
Modernizes the Courts, Corrections, and Justice Committee
By a vote of 24-16, Senate Bill 456 passed the Senate, which would make permanent the interim Courts, Corrections, and Justice Committee. This legislation would also grant the Committee subpoena power, strengthening Legislative oversight over the various arms of the justice system. This is especially important given agencies do not always respond adequately to legislative requests for information.
“This deserves to be a permanent committee because it provides an oversight of the judicial branch. For example, we’ve seen hundreds of DWI cases dismissed, with the prosecutor agreeing that they would be re-filed. We can raise penalties for DWI all we want, but if they’re going to be dismissed and not re-filed, we should at least identify that as potentially an explanation of a problem that should be addressed. We’re trying to get to the bottom of the criminal justice problem in our state – that would be an example of where we would have a meaningful role in providing oversight,” said Senate Bill 456 Sponsor Senator Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces).
Additional Business Discussed:
- Senate Bill 226 – TRUCK TRACTOR MAX SPEED LIMIT (Passes 17-13)
- Senate Bill 411 – PHYSICIAN LOAN REPAYMENT ACT (Passes 31-0)
- Senate Bill 127 — MOVIE EXEMPTION FROM BARBER & COSMETIC ACT (Passes 28-0)
Programming Note:
The first ever “Bobby’s Bolo Battle,” introduced to the Senate Chamber by Senator Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales (D – Ranchos De Taos), had Senators and staffers from both sides of the aisle sporting their finest bolo fashions in honor of our state tie. Competition was fierce but the top award went to Senator George Muñoz, who then graciously offered to auction the prize off to benefit a charity of Senator Gonzales’ choosing.
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