0001|                               AN ACT
    |
0002| RELATING TO HEALTH; PROVIDING FOR NURSE STAFF LEVELS AT NURSING
    |
0003| FACILITIES.
    |
0004| 
    |
0005| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
    |
0006|      Section 1.  NURSING FACILITIES--NURSE STAFF LEVELS.--       
    |
0007|      A.  Nursing facilities licensed pursuant to the provisions of
    |
0008| Section 24-1-5 NMSA 1978 shall employ nursing department staff
    |
0009| sufficient to meet the care needs of the residents.
    |
0010|           B.  By December 31, 1997, the department of health
    |
0011| shall adopt regulations to establish requirements for minimum
    |
0012| nursing department staff in nursing facilities and for publicly
    |
0013| posting the number of nursing department staff on duty.  Prior to
    |
0014| proposing those regulations, the department of health shall
    |
0015| cooperate with and receive comments from the human services
    |
0016| department, the state agency on aging, consumers, providers and
    |
0017| advocates regarding the fiscal and service criteria applicable to
    |
0018| the regulations.  The effective date of the regulations shall be
    |
0019| July 1, 1998.                  
    |