0001| SENATE BILL 727
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0002| 42ND LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION,
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0003| 1996
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0004| INTRODUCED BY
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0005| MICHAEL S. SANCHEZ
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0007|
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0009|
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0010|
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0011| AN ACT
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0012| RELATING TO HEALTH; ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM NUMBER OF CONTACT
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0013| HOURS FOR A PATIENT IN A HEALTH FACILITY; MAKING AN
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0014| APPROPRIATION.
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0015|
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0016| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0017| Section 1. A new section of the Public Health Act is
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0018| enacted to read:
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0019| "[NEW MATERIAL] PATIENT TO STAFF RATIO ESTABLISHED.--
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0020| A. The department of health shall establish
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0021| regulations providing that a health facility shall maintain
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0022| sufficient staff to ensure that each patient receives at least
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0023| five contact hours of care in each twenty-four-hour period.
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0024| B. As used in this section:
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0025| (1) "contact hour" means the total amount of
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0001| time spent by staff in one twenty-four-hour period with each
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0002| patient in a health facility;
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0003| (2) "health facility" means any nursing home,
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0004| intermediate care facility or rehabilitation center that has
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0005| been inspected and licensed by the department, that has received
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0006| certification for participation in federal reimbursement
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0007| programs and that has been fully accredited by the joint
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0008| commission on accreditation of health care organization or the
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0009| American osteopathic association; and
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0010| (3) "staff member" means a primary care
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0011| physician, licensed dietician, licensed practical nurse,
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0012| physical therapist, occupational therapist, registered nurse or
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0013| nurse's aide."
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0014| Section 2. A new section of the Public Health Act is
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0015| enacted to read:
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0016| "[NEW MATERIAL] STATE MATCH.--The state shall provide
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0017| fifty percent of the necessary funding to ensure compliance with
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0018| the minimal requirement for patient contact hours established in
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0019| Section 1 of this act through fiscal year 1999. Beginning in
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0020| fiscal year 2000, each health facility shall be financially
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0021| responsible for its own compliance."
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0022| Section 3. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars
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0023| ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the
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0024| department of health for expenditure in fiscal years 1997 and
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0025| 1998 for the purpose of hiring additional staff necessary to
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0001| comply with the minimal requirement for patient contact hours
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0002| established in Section 1 of this act. Any unexpended or
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0003| unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 1998
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0004| shall revert to the general fund.
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0005|
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0006|
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0007| FORTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE
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0008| SECOND SESSION, 1996
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0009|
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0010|
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0011| FEBRUARY 1, 1996
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0012|
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0013| Mr. President:
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0014|
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0015| Your COMMITTEES' COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
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0016|
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0017| SENATE BILL 727
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0018|
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0019| has had it under consideration and finds same to be GERMANE, PURSUANT
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0020| TO CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, and thence referred to the PUBLIC
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0021| AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
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0022|
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0023| Respectfully submitted,
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0025|
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0001|
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0002|
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0003| __________________________________
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0004| SENATOR MANNY M. ARAGON, Chairman
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0006|
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0007|
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0008| Adopted_______________________ Not Adopted_______________________
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0009| (Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk)
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0010|
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0011|
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0012| Date ________________________
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0014|
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0015|
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0016| S0727CC1
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0017|
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