Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Board of Nursing outlines workforce support using licensing revenue, committee adopts LFC budget
Loading...
Summary
The House Appropriations & Finance Committee heard the Board of Nursing describe programs funded from licensing revenue to support new graduates and nurses in recovery and adopted the LFC budget recommendation for the agency by voice vote.
The House Appropriations & Finance Committee on Monday heard the Board of Nursing describe steps the agency is taking to shore up New Mexico’s nursing workforce while analysts recommended a budget that relies on licensing revenue rather than the general fund.
Sheena Ferguson, identified in the packet as the board’s director, told the committee the board is using surplus licensing revenue to subsidize new nurses who accept positions in New Mexico and to cover the first year of testing for nurses with substance use disorder. “We are using some surplus to offset some costs for new graduates,” Ferguson said, adding the board helped roughly 1,189 new graduates through programs passed by the legislature in 2025. She also said the board supports remediation, certification assistance and stipends for students who lack resources such as childcare or travel assistance.
Analyst Harry Rommel told members the board’s operations are funded through licensing fees and have no general fund impact; the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) recommended roughly $4.2 million, about $95,000 below the executive recommendation. Rommel said the board requested a $260,000 increase over FY26 operating budget (driven largely by personnel), while LFC recommended holding personnel flat with FY26.
Committee members pressed the director on compact licenses and how many licensed nurses are actually practicing in-state. Ferguson said 47 jurisdictions participate in the nursing compact and that a 2025 change to the nursing practice act will make it easier to separate multistate and single‑state licensure counts over the next year. She also noted the board serves about 40,000 licensees.
Representative Dixon moved to adopt the LFC recommendation and the committee approved the motion by voice with no opposition recorded. The committee’s action left the Board of Nursing on the LFC budget path while directing staff to retain flexibility for later HAFC adjustments if needed.
The board referenced the nursing practice act and compact licensing changes discussed in the packet; the committee did not adopt any new statutory language during the session and requested staff follow‑up on data questions about in‑state practice rates.
