April 8, 1999

The Honorable Manny M. Aragon and

Members of the Senate

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

Honorable President and Members of the Senate:

I have this day VETOED and am returning SENATE BILL 596, as amended, enacted by the Forty-Fourth Legislature, First Session, 1999.

The Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool Act (CHIP) is intended to provide health insurance coverage to New Mexicans who are denied health insurance and are considered uninsurable.

This legislation would authorize the CHIP board to identify and search out uninsured and underinsured New Mexicans in extraordinary health insurance circumstances.

This proposed expansion of CHIP may be very well intentioned but this overly broad and vague definition ("extraordinary circumstances") is unacceptable. The boards new charge to identify, search for and design insurance coverage for underinsured New Mexican’s may take the CHIP program well beyond its core mission to help those "who are denied adequate health insurance and are considered uninsurable."

Sincerely,

Gary E. Johnson

Governor