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

SPONSOR Hamilton

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/2/06

HB 581

SHORT TITLE Cancer Prevention, Research & Education

SB

ANALYST Lewis

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

1,500.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Similar to SB 470, which appropriates $300,000 for

cancer prevention, research & education.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 581 appropriates $1,500,000 from the general fund to the Department of Health to

pay for coordinated cancer prevention, research and education services supporting the depart-

ment’s statewide cancer plan.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $1,500,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the Department of Health (DOH) this bill, though not part of the DOH’s executive

budget request, would provide coordinated cancer prevention, research and education services in

support of the state’s New Mexico Cancer Plan 2002-2006 (NMCP), which includes goals relat-

House Bill 581 – Page

2

ing to reducing risks for cancer, increasing early detection and appropriate screening, access to

care, and improved quality of life. The proposed activities would help align statewide cancer

control efforts among 13 institutions involved in cancer research, over 85 cancer-care providers,

and other community agencies and organizations. Cancer control partners include: UNM Cancer

Research and Treatment Center, St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, Lovelace-Sandia Health

Systems, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, and the American Cancer Society.

DOH adds that each year, an average of 6,553 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in New Mex-

ico, and almost 3,000 people die from the disease (NM Tumor Registry, Annual Report, 2002).

Although DOH states that existing staff and resources of the DOH Comprehensive Cancer Pro-

gram could implement the activities in this bill, the Health Policy Commission (HPC) observes

that the program has limited funding for cancer risk reduction and prevention education projects.

The HPC further notes that DOH’s New Mexico Cancer Plan 2002-2006 asserts that there are no

known methods of prevention or risk reduction for some cancers; there is no comprehensive

method to educate the public about cancer risk education and prevention; and there is no re-

quirement to have health education classes in the schools, although the American Cancer Society

(ACS) has cancer prevention education programs available to schools.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH notes that this bill relates to:

the department’s strategic plan and its mission to promote health and sound health policy,

prevent disease and disability, improve health services systems and assure that essential pub-

lic health functions and safety net services are available to New Mexicans; and to

implementation of the New Mexico Cancer Plan 2002 – 2006.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

According to the DOH, existing staff and resources of the DOH Comprehensive Cancer Program

could implement the activities in this bill. However, the funds would be more feasibly adminis-

tered if utilized over five years, from FY07 through FY11, at $300,000 per year.

AMENDMENTS

The DOH suggests allowing the appropriation to be expended in fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

ML/yr