Tax levies authorized.

A. Subject to the provisions of Subsection B of this section, the board of county commissioners, upon the certification of the county as to the amount needed to provide health care to indigent residents of the county or to support the state's medicaid program, shall impose a levy against the net taxable value, as that term is defined in the Property Tax Code [Articles 35 to 38 of Chapter 7 NMSA 1978], of the property in the county sufficient to raise the amount certified by the county. B. The question of imposing an indigent and medicaid health care levy for the purpose of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act shall be submitted to the electors and voted upon as a separate question at the next subsequent general election or any special election called prior thereto for such purpose. C. Upon finding by the board of county commissioners that an election will be necessary, the board of county commissioners shall meet and order an election to be held at a designated time in the county upon the question of imposing an indigent and medicaid health care levy for the purpose of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act in the county. If the question is to be voted upon at a special election, the election shall be held not less than thirty nor more than fifty days after the finding, but in no event shall the election be held within fifty days preceding or succeeding any general election held in the county. The order for the election shall be made a part of the official minutes of the board of county commissioners. A copy of the order shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least fifteen days before the date set for the election, and an affidavit of publication shall be obtained. At least five days prior to the date for holding the election, the board of county commissioners shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and post in five conspicuous places in the county a notice of election, which shall be in substantially the following form: "NOTICE OF ELECTION ON SPECIAL INDIGENT AND MEDICAID HEALTH CARE LEVY Notice is given on the _________ day of __________________, 20_____, there will be held in ___________________________ county of New Mexico an election on the question of imposing an indigent and medicaid health care levy to provide health care to indigent residents of the county or to support the state's medicaid program, such levy to be made annually against the taxable value of the property in the county and limited to an amount sufficient to provide funds necessary to support the state's medicaid program or to provide health care to indigent residents of the county who do not qualify for medicaid. _____________________________________________ Official Title of the Authority". The election shall be held on the date specified in the notice and shall be, if a special election, conducted and canvassed in substantially the same manner as general elections are conducted and canvassed in the county; provided that the ballot used in any election shall be a special and separate ballot and shall be in substantially the following form: "BALLOT On the question of imposing an indigent and medicaid health care levy for the purposes of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act, such levy to be made annually against the taxable value of the property in _________________ county of New Mexico, and limited to an amount sufficient to provide funds budgeted and certified as necessary for health care for indigent residents of the county in addition to those services provided by the state or to support the state's medicaid program: FOR THE LEVY.................................................................................________ AGAINST THE LEVY.......................................................................________". D. If the electors vote in favor of an indigent and medicaid health care levy, the levy shall become effective in the same manner prescribed by law for all levies upon property within that county, and a levy for those purposes in such an amount as will provide sufficient money for the fund shall be made for each year thereafter. E. Any board of county commissioners that has, prior to the effective date of this section, made a valid imposition of a property tax for the purpose of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act shall not be required to hold an election on the existing tax, and that tax may be imposed and continue to be imposed in accordance with the provisions of law existing at the time of its imposition. However, if any such tax is not imposed in a given property tax year or if the authorization for its imposition terminates or expires, the election requirements of Subsections B and C of this section shall apply to any subsequent proposed imposition of a property tax for indigent health care for county residents or to support the state's medicaid program.