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

SPONSOR Griego

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Northern NM State School Hazmat Training

SB 498

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$400.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplication SB 458

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

Northern New Mexico College (NNMC)

Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (DHSEM)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 498 appropriates $400.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of Northern

New Mexico State School (now Northern New Mexico College) to provide science-based

hazardous materials decontamination evaluation and training services statewide to volunteer and

full-time response agencies.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $400.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2009 shall revert to the

general fund.

This request was not submitted by Northern New Mexico College to the New Mexico Higher

Education Department for review and is not included in the Department’s funding

recommendation for FY09.

Senate Bill 498 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NNMC states that this bill would fund State-Wide First Responder Decontamination Training.

Initial training would be provided to State and Local Fire Departments and Hazmat Units.

Northern New Mexico College (aka, Northern New Mexico State School) would be the fiscal

agency for this training, and provide classroom space, scheduling assistance, dormitory access,

cafeteria services and certification for successfully completed programs. Northern is working

with former Los Alamos National Laboratory experts who are state of the art practitioners in

hazmat training for radioactive and other volatile organic compounds.

According to DHSEM:

DHSEM has oversight for all hazardous materials response protocols and training per the

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Act. Therefore, the proposed legislation

should be amended to appropriate funding to its department.

DHSEM states decontamination training for first responders in the event of hazardous

materials, radioactive and/or terrorist event is needed in the state. Fully trained

decontamination teams more widely available statewide would enhance capabilities and

provide better response for citizens.

The DOH notes that SB498 addresses the need for all types of first responders to be trained on

how to practice personal protection and to be capable of decontaminating members of the public

exposed to hazardous materials. The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of

Homeland Security and Emergency Management receive federal funding from these agencies:

Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, and

Department of Health and Human Services to provide personal protection and patient

decontamination training to hospital personnel, emergency medical technicians, law

enforcement, emergency management, and firefighters. Additional availability for training and

education for rural, frontier and urban responders may contribute to the state’s ability to respond

effectively to hazardous material incidents and increases the likelihood that the health and safety

of first responders will be protected.

DUPLICATION

Senate Bill 458 is a duplicate.

GH/nt