Governor Bill Richardson Outlines Special Session Agenda

Press Release

Governor Bill Richardson Outlines Special Session Agenda

Governor Bill Richardson outlined the agenda for the special session of the Legislature, which starts today at noon. The Governor called the special session to tackle health care reform and provide financial relief for New Mexico families.

"We have outlined a fiscally responsible package that meets the immediate needs of New Mexicans - from increasing access to affordable health care to returning cash to families at a time when state government can afford to help its citizens," Governor Richardson said.

Governor Richardson's agenda, which is spelled out in the official proclamation calling the session, includes five issues to be considered;

1. Health Care Reform

• Reform insurance by requiring providers to hold down rising rates, ensure that premiums go toward health care, and cover 50,000 uninsured children.

• Cut bureaucracy and eliminate waste by replacing multiple boards with one
Health Care Benefits Administration

• Guarantee patient privacy by putting in place new standards to assure that
medical records go electronic and remain private

2. CARE package

• Cost-of-living tax rebate -- $120 million

• Working Families Tax Credit -- $7.8 million

• Tax Holiday for the holidays -- $2.5 million

• Increase child care assistance eligibility -- $13.2 million

• Home heating assistance -- $4 million

• Weatherization funding -- $2 million

• School bus fuel assistance -- $3.2 million

3. Highway projects

• Complete most GRIP road projects -- $200 million
($150 million in severance tax bonds and $50 million subject to available funding later in the year and next year.)

4. Emergency money for Ruidoso floods

• Bridge and road repair -- $3.6 million

5. Emergency money for 2008 election

• Anticipated additional expenses for November General Election -- $1.6 million Governor Richardson proposes using $146 million out of the $208 million surplus - new, onetime money - to pay for most of his CARE package, general election expenses, a portion of road projects and emergency funding for Ruidoso. That would leave a responsible amount of one-time
money for the regular session that starts in January 2009.

In addition, the Governor's plan keeps in place state more than $600 million in cash reserves to cover any emergencies or shortfalls.

Governor Richardson also proposes using $78 million out of the $373 million in new, recurring money to pay ongoing costs of covering all kids with health insurance ($58 million), increasing the Working Families Tax Credit ($7.8 million) and increasing eligibility for child care assistance ($13.2 million).

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