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 Campos

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/13/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Military Hospital Corps as Nurses

SB 883

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$50.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Board of Nursing

Department of Military Affairs (DMA)

Department of Health (DOH)

No Responses Received from

New Mexico Municipal League (NMML)

New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 883 appropriates $50.0 from the general fund to the Department of Military Affairs

for the purpose of convening a group to study the potential benefits of using New Mexico’s

military hospital corps members and medics to alleviate the state’s nursing shortage and to

conduct an in-depth comparison of military and civilian curricula, training and job descriptions

for nursing services and devise a curriculum for nursing licensure that allows military hospital

cops members and medics to earn a licensed practical nurse diploma and sit for a civilian

licensure examination.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert

to the general fund.

Senate Bill 883 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Board of Nursing states community colleges who offer practical nursing certificates have

been willing to evaluate courses from military education and give college credit. These

individuals are placed in the program and can complete other required courses earning a practical

nurse certificate. The Board of Nursing currently evaluates military transcripts for equivalence

to other nursing programs that offer a practical nursing certificate. In the past year, around six

transcripts were evaluated. The Board of Nursing reports most of the corps members met the

requirements to sit for the practical nursing exam.

DOH reports military corpsmen and medics receive extensive training qualifying them to care

for service members and their families throughout the world. The training is not accredited

through the New Mexico Board of Nursing due to the training missing key and essential

elements required for graduation from a credentialed nursing program. DOH reports individuals

must have a certificate or diploma from a credentialed school, or have their transcript reviewed

by the Board of Nursing and be determined eligible before taking the New Mexico licensure

exam. DOH states “military corpsmen and medics need to be made aware of the existing

process, and be encouraged to have transcripts and training records reviewed."

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Board of Nursing requests if the proposed legislation is enacted that they be part of the

group formed to study potential benefits of using New Mexico hospital corps members and

medics.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The Board of Nursing states corps members and medics who have had their military education

evaluated by the board and are successful on the exam may not be able to endorse their New

Mexico license into another state if the educational equivalency is not recognized by the state.

The Board of Nursing notes that requiring these individuals to complete a curriculum for nursing

licensure would allow them to complete requirements for a practical nurse certificate and to be

endorse into another state or to be eligible for higher nursing education with or without having to

depend on an evaluation of education credentials. The Board of Nursing states a representative

from the board and a practical nurse educator(s) must be part of the study that will determine the

curriculum.

RPG/nt