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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Sanchez, B
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2/09/2007
2/16/2007 HB
SHORT TITLE
UNM Health Sciences Center Career Pathways
SB 299/aSEC
ANALYST Moser
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
$1,855.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates: HB 660
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
NM Department of Higher Education (HED)
Department of Health (DOH)
Health Policy Commission
Public Education Department (PED)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of SEC Amendment
The Senate Education Committee amendment makes minor adjustments to the language and
removes the provision of stipends to students. The funding level was left unchanged.
Synopsis of Original Bill
Senate Bill 299 appropriates $1,855,000 from the General Fund for expenditure in FY08 and
FY09 to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico (UNM) for the Health Sciences
Center (HSC). Funding would be used to encourage students underrepresented in the health
sciences to enter and graduate from health or allied health professions programs.
pg_0002
Senate Bill 299/aSEC – Page
2
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $1,855,000 contained in this bill appears on the surface to be non-recurring
expense to the General fund. However, this funding is sought by UNMHSC due to the loss of
federal funds that have previously sustained this program. It would appear that this funding is
truly recurring. This issue will need to be clarified as this bill moves forward.
Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 09 shall revert to
the general Fund.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
These programs strive to build diversity in the health professions by providing underrepresented
students the opportunity to develop the skills needed to successfully compete for admission to
and graduation from health professions programs. The Office of Diversity coordinates the
flagship educational pipeline for New Mexico students interested in medical professions. The
programs have been funded through federal grants from the Department of Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA) and the Health Careers Opportunity Programs (HCOP);
however, these funds are rapidly dwindling due to other federal budget priorities.
Both PED and the HED indicate that the educational pipeline begins at the middle-school level
and continues to medical school and includes:
Dream Makers Health Careers Clubs (middle school program)
Health Careers Academy (high school program)
Undergraduate Health Sciences Enrichment Program (UNM undergraduate program)
New Mexico Clinical Education Program (pre-UNM School of Medicine program)
HED points out that this proposal was not submitted to the HED by UNM nor was it included as
either a priority of UNM board of regents or in the HED request for funding in FY08.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
PED indicates that while this legislation is not linked to any specific performance measures for
the PED, stipends for students in the health sciences field may encourage more individuals to
enter into health or allied health professions, which may assist New Mexico and public schools
with the nursing and other health professional shortage. Having a career path may encourage
attendance thus increasing academic achievement.
GM/mt:csd