Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the Legislature. LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they
are used for other purposes.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Soules
LAST UPDATED
ORIGINAL DATE 01/27/2025
SHORT TITLE Prescribing Psychologist Psychotropics
BILL
NUMBER Senate Bill 53
ANALYST Chilton
ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT*
(dollars in thousands)
Agency/Program
FY25 FY26 FY27
3 Year
Total Cost
Recurring or
Nonrecurring
Fund
Affected Regulation and
Licensing
Department
$40.0 Nonrecurring General Fund
Total
Parentheses ( ) indicate expenditure decreases.
*Amounts reflect most recent analysis of this legislation.
Sources of Information
LFC Files
Agency Analysis Received From
Health Care Authority (HCA) New Mexico Medical Board (NMMB) Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Senate Bill 53
Senate Bill 53 (SB53) changes the definition of “independently licensed prescribing clinician” in
the Professional Psychologist Act (Section 61-9 NMSA 1978) as it was amended in the 2024
legislative session by that year’s Senate Bill 127. It would add prescribing psychologists with at
least four years of independent experience prescribing psychotropic drugs to the definition,
which also includes allopathic and osteopathic physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse
specialists. This would, according to other subsections of the Professional Psychologist Act,
permit these psychologists who qualify as “independently licensed prescribing clinicians to
supervise other prescribing psychologists.
This bill does not contain an effective date and, as a result, would go into effect 90 days after the
Legislature adjourns if enacted, or June 20, 2025.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
There is no appropriation in Senate Bill 53. Senate Bill 53 – Page 2
RLD estimates a $40 thousand cost for making the changes needed in its licensing system to
implement SB53. Neither the Medical Board nor the Health Care Authority anticipate any
expenses involved in implementing this bill.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
As noted by RLD:
SB53 corrects the definition in Section 61-9-3(C) so that it agrees with the definition of
“supervising clinician” in Section 61-9-3(K) so that the requirements in Section 61-9-
17.1… allow for all references to independently licensed clinicians to be “prescribing
psychologist who has at least four years of independent experience in prescribing
psychotropic medication to treat behavioral and emotional conditions and mental illness,”
in the same way that any references to “supervising clinician” also refers to “prescribing
psychologist who has at least four years of independent experience in prescribing
psychotropic medication to treat behavioral and emotional conditions and mental illness.”
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
SB53 relates to Senate Bill 117 from 2023, vetoed by the governor, which would havemade
more extensive changes in the Professional Psychologist Act. The bill was passed unanimously
in both chambers.
SB53 is also related to Senate Bill 127 from 2024, Professional Psychologist Act Changes, which
also made more extensive changes in that act. This bill was passed, signed, and chaptered.
LC/hj/hg