2014 New Mexico Legislative Accomplishments

2014 New Mexico State Legislative Accomplishments

Thanks to all of our wonderful and dedicated volunteers we were able accomplish the following:

Protecting Tobacco Control Program Funding

In the face of funding reductions for many state programs, level funding was maintained for the tobacco use prevention and cessation programs managed by the New Mexico Department of Health and the Indian Affairs Department. These programs are paid for by revenues from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement – and not state taxpayer money. The net effect of these programs in the last decade is that 81,400 fewer adults are smoking now in New Mexico.  State funding for our Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Programs remains level for state fiscal year 2015.

Protecting the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act

ACS CAN members successfully opposed a bill that sought to open the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act and make changes that would weaken the law and obscure its intent. The Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act protects the vast majority of New Mexicans from secondhand smoke in workplaces and public places. Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard, containing more than 60 known or probable carcinogens. Smoke-free laws reduce exposure to cancer-causing pollutants and reduce the incidence of disease, as well as encouraging smokers to quit, and increasing the number of successful quit attempts.

Defending against inadequate e-cigarette legislation

ACS CAN members successfully opposed two bills that would have compromised the State’s effective regulation of e-cigarettes in the future. To be effective, a policy should define e-cigarettes as tobacco products and include e-cigarettes in definitions of smoking in order to: prohibit e-cigarette use where smoking and/or tobacco use is prohibited; prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors; prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and e-juices; include e-cigarettes in tobacco sales or marketing restrictions.

Defending Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection and Treatment Funding

We were successful in defending funding for early detection and treatment of breast and cervical cancer for uninsured and underinsured women of New Mexico, despite cuts that were made to many other state programs.  State funding for the early detection program and the treatment program remain level for state fiscal year 2015. 

Increasing access to fresh produce

We supported a pair of bills to fund the inclusion of NM-grown fresh produce in public school lunches.  As a result of the bills, the state budget included an appropriation of $240,000 for fresh produce in FY15.

Total Cancer-Related Appropriations in NM: $7,677,300