0001| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 58 | 0002| 43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997 | 0003| INTRODUCED BY | 0004| J. PAUL TAYLOR | 0005| | 0006| | 0007| | 0008| | 0009| | 0010| A JOINT MEMORIAL | 0011| REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONSULT WITH HOSPITALS | 0012| TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES TO MAKE HOSPITALS ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS | 0013| WITH MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES. | 0014| | 0015| WHEREAS, the national academy of sciences has estimated | 0016| that fifteen percent of the population is experiencing | 0017| increased allergic sensitivity to everyday chemicals; and | 0018| WHEREAS, severe chemical sensitivity can be disabling and | 0019| is known as multiple chemical sensitivities; and | 0020| WHEREAS, multiple chemical sensitivities is recognized as | 0021| a potentially disabling condition by the social security | 0022| administration and the United States department of housing and | 0023| urban development; and | 0024| WHEREAS, persons with multiple chemical sensitivities | 0025| experience adverse health reactions when exposed to many common | 0001| chemicals, including pesticides, carpets, perfumes, | 0002| disinfectants and cleaning products found in most hospitals; | 0003| and | 0004| WHEREAS, persons with multiple chemical sensitivities may | 0005| require hospitalization in an acute care facility due to the | 0006| exacerbation of their condition, the need for surgery or | 0007| because of an accident or other medical problem and may require | 0008| long or intermediate care in a nursing or rehabilitation | 0009| facility; and | 0010| WHEREAS, people with the condition have been known to | 0011| avoid emergency and hospital care because exposure to the | 0012| hospital environment would make them worse; and | 0013| WHEREAS, multiple chemical sensitivities is covered under | 0014| the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which guarantees | 0015| access to public accommodations for people with disabilities; | 0016| and | 0017| WHEREAS, a patient may not be denied appropriate hospital | 0018| care because of a handicap according to the New Mexico | 0019| regulations governing general and special hospitals; and | 0020| WHEREAS, chemical barriers that block access for people | 0021| with multiple chemical sensitivities are analogous to physical | 0022| barriers that block access for people using wheelchairs; and | 0023| WHEREAS, Holy Cross hospital in Taos has set an example by | 0024| constructing and maintaining a hospital wing that is designed | 0025| to be accessible to patients with multiple chemical | 0001| sensitivities; and | 0002| WHEREAS, many accommodations for chemically sensitive | 0003| patients are inexpensive, easy to implement and will provide a | 0004| more healthful environment for other patients and hospital | 0005| personnel; | 0006| NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE | 0007| STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico department of health, | 0008| with the cooperation of the governor's committee on concerns of | 0009| the handicapped, consult with hospital representatives, | 0010| hospital associations and individuals with multiple chemical | 0011| sensitivities to develop written guidelines for making | 0012| hospitals licensed in New Mexico accessible to patients with | 0013| multiple chemical sensitivities; and | 0014| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that guidelines be submitted to the | 0015| interim legislative health and human services committee at its | 0016| October 1997 meeting; and | 0017| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be | 0018| transmitted to the department of health and the governor. | 0019|  | 0020| State of New Mexico | 0021| House of Representatives | 0022| | 0023| FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE | 0024| FIRST SESSION, 1997 | 0025| | 0001| | 0002| March 13, 1997 | 0003| | 0004| | 0005| Mr. Speaker: | 0006| | 0007| Your CONSUMER AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, to | 0008| whom has been referred | 0009| | 0010| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 58 | 0011| | 0012| has had it under consideration and reports same WITHOUT | 0013| RECOMMENDATION. | 0014| | 0015| Respectfully submitted, | 0016| | 0017| | 0018| | 0019| | 0020| | 0021| Gary King, Chairman | 0022| | 0023| | 0024| Adopted Not Adopted | 0025| | 0001| (Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk) | 0002| | 0003| Date | 0004| | 0005| The roll call vote was 6 For 1 Against | 0006| Yes: 6 | 0007| No: Johnson | 0008| Excused: Rios, Sandel, Vigil | 0009| Absent: None | 0010| | 0011| | 0012| G:\BILLTEXT\BILLW_97\HJ058 State of New Mexico | 0013| House of Representatives | 0014| | 0015| FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE | 0016| FIRST SESSION, 1997 | 0017| | 0018| | 0019| March 13, 1997 | 0020| | 0021| | 0022| Mr. Speaker: | 0023| | 0024| Your CONSUMER AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, to | 0025| whom has been referred | 0001| | 0002| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 58 | 0003| | 0004| has had it under consideration and reports same WITHOUT | 0005| RECOMMENDATION. | 0006| | 0007| Respectfully submitted, | 0008| | 0009| | 0010| | 0011| | 0012| | 0013| Gary King, Chairman | 0014| | 0015| | 0016| Adopted Not Adopted | 0017| | 0018| (Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk) | 0019| | 0020| Date | 0021| | 0022| The roll call vote was 6 For 1 Against | 0023| Yes: 6 | 0024| No: Johnson | 0025| Excused: Rios, Sandel, Vigil | 0001| Absent: None | 0002| | 0003| | 0004| G:\BILLTEXT\BILLW_97\HJ058 |