SANTA FE, N.M. Representative Debra M. Sariflana (D — Bernalillo), New Mexico State Legislature, introduced House Bill 32.
If passed, this amends the Public-School Code to require every charter school and public school in New Mexico to hire a fulltime school nurse.
The bill calls for the school nurse to be “a nurse authorized pursuant to the Nursing Practice Act to practice as a professional registered nurse.”
Five million dollars would be appropriated from the New Mexico General Fund to help school districts hire registered nurses. Under the act, any charter school that does not have a fulltime nurse with the above qualifications will not have its operating budget approved by the state.
The bill establishes waivers to the nurse program for rural public schools that have fewer than 250 students. To meet the waiver schools must: prove that the school can effectively address the health needs of all its students; be unable to find a nurse due to unavailability of nurses in the area and prove to the state that they tried finding one.
Penalties for public schools who do not follow this rule are not specified in the text of the bill.
If passed and turned into law, the bill goes into effect on July 1. As of press time the bill was waiting to be read in the House Education Committee. If passed through committee the bill moves to the House floor for a vote. If passed by the House, the bill travels to the New Mexico Senate committees.
Rep. Sariflana can be reached at 505-974-9408.