Summary:

 House Bill108  (HB108) relates to public health and creates the Statewide Public Health and Climate Program while including an appropriation. 

Legislation Overview:

 House Bill 108  (HB108) enacts a new Section of the Public Health Act by requiring that by January 1, 2026, the Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau of the epidemiology and response division of the Department shall establish a Statewide Public Health and Climate Program.  In implementing the Statewide Public Health and Climate Program, the Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau shall: 
1)  help improve interagency collaboration focused on health equity, reducing health impacts of extreme weather and climate change adaptation in New Mexico. 
(2) assist in the formulation of concrete, coordinated and cohesive action plans supporting local communities in building health resiliency to future climate impacts. 
(3)  provide climate and public health expertise to assist local community planning and response by county and tribal public health councils together with the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Environment and the Homeland Security ,and Emergency Management Department in:  making health informed decisions about current and future climate impacts, and integrating climate and health science into emergency preparedness programs ,and facilitate agency and community engagement in most harmed or most likely to be harmed by extreme weather events.

One million and one hundred thousand dollars ($1,100,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to support the Statewide Public Health and Climate Program within the Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau of the Epidemiology and Response Division of the Department of Health. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2026 shall revert to the General Fund.