Committee advances several memorials: study of child‑welfare structure, home‑health rule review, nursing task force, and pediatric palliative care benefit

The House Health and Human Services committee advanced multiple memorials and task‑force proposals addressing child welfare, home health access, the nursing workforce and pediatric palliative care.

House Memorial 1, sponsored to study the feasibility of a constitutional amendment to create an independent commission to oversee the Children, Youth and Families Department, received a 'do pass' recommendation (7‑2 vote). Sponsors said they intend to seek foundation funding for the study rather than a state appropriation and described plans for an 18‑member, bipartisan task force; concerns were raised about a November 15 reporting deadline being too short.

House Memorial 31 asks the Health Care Authority to revisit an administrative rule that limits home health agencies from serving patients more than 100 miles from their licensed location. Representative Joseph Hernandez said the rule can be a barrier for remote Navajo Nation residents; the Health Care Authority and provider groups signaled willingness to work on rule changes and the committee gave the memorial a due pass.

House Memorial 36 would create an unfunded nursing shortage task force to study graduation rates, retention and barriers to increasing the pipeline. Gloria Doherty (New Mexico Nursing Association) and others said graduation rates remain flat despite investments, that faculty recruitment and retention are problems, and that the task force should deliver findings for interim committee consideration in time to inform next session; the committee gave the memorial a due pass.

House Memorial 35 requests a state plan amendment to create a pediatric palliative care Medicaid benefit. Nicole Scotto, a rural pediatric hospice nurse, described long travel distances families face and asked the committee to establish a benefit that would support home‑based visits, telehealth and care coordination. The committee adopted a due pass on the memorial and adjourned.

Each memorial was advanced to allow further study and potential legislative action in future sessions.