April 5, 2001

HOUSE EXECUTIVE MESSAGE NO. 76

The Honorable Ben Lujan and

Members of the House of Representatives

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

Honorable Speaker and Members of the House:

I have this day VETOED and am returning HOUSE BILL 491, as amended

enacted by the Forty-Fifth Legislature, First Session, 2001.

This bill would change the voluntary home visitation program and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover young adults ages nineteen to twenty one suffering from catastrophic, life-threatening or significant chronic illnesses. Currently, New Mexico maintains a state-of-the-art, cost effective health care model. While I understand the desire to help this unfairly affected group of young adults, expansion takes money. This legislation does not appropriate state funds to administer this expanded coverage and even if additional state funds were available, which they are not, the federal government would not provide matching funds under current federal law. Consequently, no matter how much we would like to help this unfairly affected group of young adults, we cannot and should not expand any of our programs beyond what we can afford as a state; it simply isn’t responsible.

Sincerely,

Gary E. Johnson

Governor

RECEIVED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR:

Time: _____________________ By:_____________________________

Secretary of State

Date ______________________

Time:______________________

Date_______________________ By:_____________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

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