The legislative session ended at noon today with a thud. The legislature failed to pass a budget and did not pass legislation to resolve the corporate coverage situation under the Medical Malpractice Act. The Society had great support losing only a total of 4 votes in both the House and Senate between the two bills, HB-188 and SB-213.

A committee report was "held" which prevented SB-213 from traveling to the House floor, this was the same bill passed the Senate 39-1! It had great support due to the many calls that were made from the medical community. Thank you everyone for taking time to call and to write your legislators.

In the House Judiciary Committee, the trial bar attempted to put forth a substitute for HB-188. The substitute legislation would have created a horrible legal climate, one similar to that in Florida. Ultimately, HB-188 died in the House Judiciary Committee. The Society would not compromise with the substitute language though we are hopeful there will be some resolution to the corporate coverage problem by the January 2011 Session. There are a number of changes which need to be made to the Medical Malpractice Act but the changes put forth in the substitute were just not the ones.

I want you to know that Representatives Jim Trujillo, Keith Gardner, Tom Taylor, Paul Bandy, Ed Sandoval, Kiki Saavedra, and Senators Stuart Ingle, Tim Jennings, John Arthur Smith, Carol Leavell, Gay Kernan where champions in assisting the Society. I don’t want to over look any one but these come to mind as particular champions as I write this quick summary.

Thank you all so much for your support, interest, and participation in the Session. Thanks go to those of you who came to Santa Fe to testify and to fill committee rooms. And special thanks go to president-elect Lynn Bryant MD for her media relations and to Paul Kavnat MD from the NM Medical Board for his expertise and help. We did not come out with what we wanted but we did not come out with something we could not live with either. Onwards.

Jerry D. McLaughlin II, MD
NMMS President, 2009-2010

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