Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Vigil

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/14/2007

HB 1067

SHORT TITLE

ON-LINE NURSING CURRICULUM TASK FORCE

SB

ANALYST Moser

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$50.0

Non-Rec

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to: SB 883

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

NM Department of Higher Education (HED)

Board of Nursing

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 1067 appropriates $50,000 from the General Fund to the Board of Nursing to pay for

a task force to create an on-line nursing curriculum for military members and medics to alleviate

the state and national nursing shortage

.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50,000 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

HB1067 calls for the Board of Nursing to develop a task force that would study the potential

benefit of using New Mexico’s military hospital corps members and medics to alleviate the state

House Bill 1067 – Page

2

and national nursing shortage. The task force would consist of representatives from the Board of

Nursing, the New Mexico Nurses Association, the New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence,

nursing faculty from postsecondary educational institutions, student nurses and military

corpsmen and medics.

The primary task of this group would be to conduct an in-depth comparison of military and

civilian curricula, training and job descriptions and devise an on-line curriculum for nursing

licensure. The intention of the on-line curricula is to develop a program that allows military

hospital corps members and medics to earn a license practical nurse or registered nurse diploma

and sit for the corresponding civilian licensure examination.

According to the New Mexico Board of Nursing only 5 or 6 military personnel have approached

the Board with interest in an alternative that would allow them to sit for licensure. A number of

postsecondary institutions in the state such as Luna Community College, are already evaluating

transcripts and admitting military students into their nursing programs. The Board of Nursing

allows military personnel to take the licensures exam based on equivalents however, these

students run into problems in other states because they lack a degree from a postsecondary

institution.

While an on-line curriculum could be one way to address the nursing shortage and the militaries

potential ability to alleviate some of the problem, it is important to note that there are already

numbers of accredited on-line nursing programs available. A quick internet search reveals at

least 14 institutions offering programs that lead to an RN or BSN while at least another 9

institutions offer a Master’s of Nursing.

This request was not submitted by any higher education institution with a nursing program in

place to the New Mexico Higher Education Department for review. This request is not included

in the Department’s funding recommendation for FY08.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

HB1067 is related to SB883. While SB883 does not call for an on-line curriculum it does ask for

a taskforce to be created out of the Department of Military Affairs to study the same issues.

Both bills appropriate $50,000.

GM/mt