Dear Meredith,
Key Vote on Medical Malpractice Reform Tomorrow Morning
We have a key vote coming up tomorrow morning for House Bill 99, the medical malpractice reform bill that addresses the main reasons why doctors state they are retiring early and leaving the state, including the state's low standard of proof and lack of limits on punitive damages.
House Bill 99 is sponsored by Representative Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), and she has now been joined by 24 bipartisan co-sponsors. The bill is supported by a growing coalition of organizations including business, labor, patient groups, health care practitioners, and civic and nonprofit groups.
The bill is scheduled to be heard tomorrow morning in the House Health and Human Services Committee, and we anticipate that it will be a close and contentious vote. Last year's legislation to reform the medical malpractice system failed in its first committee on a 5-4 vote, so every vote counts.
Please email your legislators and encourage them to support House Bill 99!
Health Care Worker Compacts Pass First Chamber
Great news: last Friday, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1 to bring New Mexico into the doctor compact! (The lead sponsor of Senate Bill 1 is Senator Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), and the bill has 28 bipartisan cosponsors.)
Unlike last year, when the bill died after the Senate Judiciary Committee amended the compact in ways that would have prevented New Mexico from joining the other states in the compact, this year legislators from both chambers worked closely with compact commission legal staff to draft some wording changes that address the senators' concerns without changing the substantive terms of the compacts, since all states have to agree to the same terms.
We expect Senate Bill 1 to gain unanimous approval in the House, which unanimously passed the doctor compact last year.
In addition, yesterday the House unanimously passed seven other health care worker compacts, for EMTs, dentists, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists and audiologists. Compacts for psychologists and counselors are also on their way. Lead sponsors of the House compacts include Representatives Liz Thomson (D-Albuquerque), Marian Matthews (D-Albuquerque), Pamelya Herndon (D-Albuquerque), and Minority Leader Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena), with numerous cosponsors.
Now those compacts go to the Senate, where some Senate Democrats have argued that the Regulation and Licensing Department doesn't have the capacity to administer all of them, even though the department itself disputes that. Some Senate Democrats also claim there isn't time to work out the wording changes they want to see made to those other compacts.
However, the Democratic House sponsors and leadership have not been deterred. They are working overtime with compact commission staff to try to develop language changes that will address the concerns of senators without changing the substantive terms of the compacts.
We appreciate the hard work being done by both the House and Senate to bring New Mexico into the full array of health care worker compacts, and we hope that the Senate will join with the House to pass legislation that will allow New Mexico to join all of the interstate compacts for health care workers.
If you haven't already emailed your legislators about the health care worker compacts, we encourage you to add your voice!
Updates on Think New Mexico's Other Health Care Reforms
Senate Bill 9, to add $1 billion to the Medicaid Trust Fund, passed the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on a unanimous vote yesterday. It now goes to the Senate Finance Committee. Senate Bill 9 is sponsored by Senator Liz Stefanics (D-Cerrillos) with 19 bipartisan cosponsors.
Senate Bill 13, to repeal the Gross Receipts Tax on coinsurance payments, had a good hearing in the Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee, and we now wait to see whether this reform will be included in a legislative tax package. Senate Bill 13 is sponsored by Senators Natalie Figueroa (D-Albuquerque) and Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) with 13 cosponsors. Representative Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces) is introducing a matching bill on the House side to present to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.
House Bill 90, to create a tax credit for preceptors who train new health care workers, passed the House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously and now goes to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The lead sponsor of House Bill 90 is Representative Anita Gonzales (D-Las Vegas).
Finally, House Bill 142, which expands the Rural Health Care Tax Credit as Think New Mexico recommended in our 2024 report also passed the House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously and now goes to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The lead sponsor of House Bill 142 is Representative Sarah Silva (D-Las Cruces).
Thank you for your active engagement on all of these important reforms!
Fred, Kristina, Susan, Mandi, Katie, Lauren, and Noah
Think New Mexico
