HEALTH TRAINING CORPS

SB0010

SENATE BILL 10

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Heather Berghmans
and
Cindy Nava
and
Katy M. Duhigg

and
Pete Campos
and
Shannon D. Pinto

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; CREATING THE HEALTH TRAINING CORPS
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; ESTABLISHING A STIPEND PROGRAM
FOR PRECEPTORS WHO SUPERVISE AND TRAIN HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
STUDENTS AND NEWLY LICENSED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN HEALTH CARE
UNDERSERVED AREAS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the
"Health Training Corps Act"."

SECTION 2.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Health
Training Corps Act:

A. "corps" means the health training corps;

B. "department" means the department of health;

C. "fund" means the health training corps fund;

D. "health care underserved area" means a
geographic area or practice location in which it has been
determined by the department, through the use of indices and
other standards set by the department, that sufficient health
care services are not being provided;

E. "health professional" means a licensed or
certified physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant,
nurse-midwife or social worker;

F. "health professional student" means a person who
is receiving education and training to become a health
professional;

G. "health training site" means a health care
facility located in a health care underserved area that allows
health professional students and newly licensed health
professionals the opportunity to train and learn through
clinical experience; and

H. "preceptor" means an experienced health
professional who provides guidance, training and supervision to
health professional students and newly licensed health
professionals in a clinical setting."

SECTION 3.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] HEALTH TRAINING CORPS--CREATED--POWERS AND
DUTIES.--

A. The "health training corps" is created in the
department to recruit and place preceptors in health training
sites.

B. The secretary of health may employ a director to
lead the corps. The director may employ support staff, and
employees of the corps shall be subject to the provisions of
the Personnel Act.

C. The corps has the power to:

(1) enter into contracts to carry out the
provisions of the Health Training Corps Act; and

(2) adopt rules, in accordance with the State
Rules Act, to carry out the provisions of the Health Training
Corps Act.

D. The corps shall:

(1) recruit health professionals to serve as
preceptors at health training sites;

(2) prioritize the placement of preceptors at
health training sites that provide behavioral health care,
primary health care and obstetrics and gynecological health
care;

(3) establish criteria and procedures for the
acceptance of applications and selection of preceptors;

(4) determine and maintain a list of eligible
health training sites;

(5) determine the need for preceptors at each
health training site and assign preceptors as needed on a
priority basis; and

(6) provide support for preceptors at health
training sites."

SECTION 4.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] CORPS SERVICES--STIPENDS.--

A. A preceptor who is selected by the corps to
serve at a health training site shall be eligible for a stipend
equal to one hundred dollars ($100) per hour of direct
guidance, training and supervision provided to health
professional students and newly licensed health professionals.

B. A preceptor shall document all guidance,
training and supervision provided to health professional
students and newly licensed health professionals. The
preceptor shall submit documentation of the guidance, training
and supervision to the department in a form and manner
prescribed by the department.

C. A preceptor shall not receive more than ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) worth of stipends in any given
year."

SECTION 5.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] LEGAL COUNSEL.--The office of general
counsel of the department shall provide legal services to the
corps. The general form of stipend contracts entered into
pursuant to the provisions of the Health Training Corps Act
shall be approved by a special assistant attorney general
employed by the department and signed by the preceptor and the
director of the corps or the director's authorized
representative on behalf of the state. The corps is vested
with full and complete authority and power to sue in its own
name for any balance due the state from a preceptor on a
stipend contract. Money paid pursuant to a contract shall be
deposited in the general fund."

SECTION 6.
A new section of Chapter 24 NMSA 1978 is
enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] HEALTH TRAINING CORPS FUND.--

A. The "health training corps fund" is created as a
nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of
appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, income from
investment of the fund and any other revenue credited to the
fund. The department shall administer the fund, and money in
the fund is appropriated to the department to carry out the
provisions of this section. Expenditures shall be by warrant
of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to
vouchers signed by the secretary of health or the secretary's
authorized representative.

B. Money in the fund may be used for:

(1) recruiting preceptors;

(2) training preceptors;

(3) paying stipends to preceptors; and

(4) providing support to preceptors located at
health training sites."

SECTION 7.
APPROPRIATION.--Three million dollars
($3,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the
health training corps fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2027
and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the purposes of the
Health Training Corps Act. Any unexpended balance remaining at
the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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