Martinez signs bill to curb ‘step therapy,’ vetoes raises for elected offices
Gov.
In addition to the legislation she signed, Martinez also made good on her promise to veto a bill that would have given pay raises to a number of elected state officials. Senate Bill 176, sponsored by Sen.
Martinez balked, referring in a news release to a budget surplus she said was made possible by "a relentless commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. ... I will not waste a dime of it on doling out taxpayer dollars on pay raises for politicians."
The bipartisan step therapy bill passed without opposition in the
Insurance companies say step therapy, or "fail first treatment," is a necessary way to slow down spiraling drug costs and to curb the influence of drug manufacturers that market pharmaceuticals directly to patients and doctors.
But critics contend the practice can cause patients in some cases to suffer with inadequate medications and that it interferes with what doctors consider to be the best care for their patients. Step therapy puts money before medicine, critics say.
Referring to patients, Stefanics told The New Mexican last week, "To take them backwards might take them from walking to a wheelchair."
Martinez also signed SB 19, sponsored by Sen.
White told The New Mexican in January that he was approached by constituents who raised concerns about guardianship laws even before recent high-profile criminal investigations disclosed widespread problems with two nonprofit guardianship companies. The owners and managers of the firms in both cases have been charged with stealing millions of dollars from clients, and the need for more protection of vulnerable people in guardianships has drawn national attention.
Another bill signed into law Wednesday was SB 46, sponsored by Sen.
The governor signed House Bill 317, sponsored by House Republican Leader
Martinez last month signed into a law a bill that redirects a portion of the vehicle excise tax to generate
Martinez also signed HB 38, sponsored by Rep.
Also signed into law were several noncontroversial bills dealing with the military and veterans.
One was HB 67, known as the Stolen Valor Act. It prohibits making false claims of military service for personal gain such as employment or appointment to public office. It was sponsored by Rep.
Other military bills included SB 97, sponsored by
And SB 16, sponsored by Sen.
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