Font ResizeDays remaining in session: 29
•Garcia confirmed: Former New Mexico State University government professor Jose Z. Garcia was unanimously confirmed Friday as the secretary for the Department of Higher Education.
Others confirmed unanimously were Mark Shumate, to the Labor and Industrial Commission and Edward J. Hollington to the Labor and Industrial Commission.
•Longer school year: State Rep. Joseph Cervantes wants to lengthen the school year in New Mexico from 180 to 200 days.
Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, has introduced a bill (HB 407) to force the change, starting in the fall of 2012.
"Parents and educators all see the loss of knowledge and student progress with the extended summer holiday, which is a throwback to an era when students were needed on the family farm," Cervantes said in a statement.
He said Japan (243), South Korea (220) and Israel (216) all have longer school years than the one he is proposing.
Natural gas task: On a vote of 61-0, House Memorial 22, sponsored by Rep. Roberto "Bobby" Gonzales, D-Taos, passed the House on Friday. The memorial requests the Public Regulation Commission to create a task force to investigate New Mexico's gas shortage in early February. The task force would also be responsible for recommending steps to prevent future natural gas interruptions in New Mexico.
"The purpose of this memorial is to encourage one department to oversee the entire investigation into this gas shortage," Gonzales said in the news
•Behavioral health administrator: Optum Health New Mexico will appear before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday to answer questions about reports of problems associated with Optum's claims management system.
"This is a rare opportunity for all sides to come together and address major behavioral health contract issues affecting the entire state," Sen. Howie Morales, D-Silver City, said in a news release issued Friday.
Optum Health took over managing the state's behavior health system in 2009 but failed to live up to expectations after it was discovered that hundreds of providers statewide had to wait several months to get paid for services already rendered. Behavioral health services go to the mentally ill and those struggling with substance abuse.
"We look forward to an opportunity to answer any questions the committee has, and appreciate the opportunity to do so," Richard Mockler, chief of staff for Optum Health, said in a statement according to the news release. Mockler said Optum Health would discuss program enhancements, and that their priority is still to work in correlation with the goals of the Behavior Health Collaborative.
The meeting is scheduled to take place in Room 322 at 1:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after the Senate floor session.
•Protecting insurance assets: A bill that cleared the Senate on Friday would protect consumers' assets in case an insurance company goes insolvent.
In a news release issued Friday, the legislation's sponsor, Sen. Carroll Leavell, R-Jal, compared the legislative fix as giving consumers double insurance. He also compared it to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's decision in 2008 to increase to $250,000, from $100,000, the federal limit on guaranteeing bank deposits per account.
"The insurance industry has been overdue in increasing the guarantee limits on life insurance annuities, major medical health insurance policies and including long term care and disability income insurance," Leavell said of Senate Bill 34. "My bill better protects the public by keeping us up with the times, with inflation and with the value of money."
According to the news release, the legislation would increase life insurance annuities from $100,000 to $250,000 and major medical health insurance from $300,000 to $500,000.
SB 34 is now in the New Mexico House for consideration.
•Transparency bill: The Senate passed legislation Friday that would require health-care review organizations to respond to New Mexico Medical Board subpoenas.
Sponsored by Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, (SB 101) amends the Review Organization Immunity Act.
Rue said in a news release issued Friday that in order for the New Mexico Medical Review Board to protect the public it needs certain information. He added that the board has had difficulty in getting information about doctors. Rue said in the news release that he was pleased that various organizations were able to come to an agreement on what should be included in the bill.
The bill now goes to the New Mexico House.
