Committee backs tax credit to reward health‑care preceptors

Representative Gonzales presented the Health Care Preceptor Income Tax Credit (HB90, committee substitute), which offers a $1,000 tax credit to defined preceptors—clinicians who provide at least 120 hours of supervised preceptorship to students or residents in designated health professions. The substitute expanded eligible preceptors to include residents and added occupational and physical therapy among eligible fields.

Testimony from academic program leaders, the New Mexico Pharmacists Association, Think New Mexico and student witnesses emphasized the bottleneck that preceptor scarcity creates in training pipelines. Supporters said the credit is a modest, targeted incentive to offset time away from billable patient care and encourage more providers—especially in rural areas—to precept trainees. Committee members discussed whether $1,000 is sufficient; the sponsor said the amount is intentionally modest to fit tax-code mechanics and could be revisited in future sessions.

The committee adopted a committee substitute and moved the bill forward with a due pass.