HOUSE BILL 353

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Tara L. Lujan and Cynthia Borrego

AN ACT

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; ENACTING THE NEW MEXICO YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA DEVELOPMENT ACT; PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; CREATING THE YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA GRANT FUND; PROVIDING FOR GRANTS FROM THE FUND; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act".

     SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act:

          A. "department" means the higher education department;

          B. "fund" means the youth film and media grant fund; and

          C. "grant" means a grant by the department from the fund.

     SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA GRANT PROGRAM--REQUIREMENTS.--

          A. The department shall:

                (1) coordinate with the New Mexico film office, New Mexico-based recipients of the film production tax credit, state higher educational institutions and film and media organizations to develop the youth film and media grant program and to ensure that the grant program aligns with the state's workforce development goals and the needs of the film industry;

                (2) establish and implement the youth film and media grant program to provide a grant to a person or an organization that has a primary mission of advancing filmmaking projects and programs that serve youth between twelve and eighteen years of age;

                (3) ensure that the youth film and media grant program prioritizes work with rural and tribal communities in the state to provide Native American youth and youth living in rural parts of the state with greater access to career opportunities in the film and television industry;                         (4) develop a grant application and review process; and

                (5) upon approval of an application, provide a grant to a person or an organization that, through the person's or organization's project or program:

                     (a) serves youth between twelve and eighteen years of age;

                     (b) serves at least one hundred schools across at least one-third of the counties in the state;

                     (c) engages with at least one-half of the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located partially or entirely within the state; and

                     (d) provides the youth served with hands-on training and educational experiences in film, media and production.

          B. A grant recipient shall submit an annual report to the department that provides detailed descriptions of:

                (1) how the grant funds were spent;

                (2) the number of youth participants served with the grant funds;

                (3) the number of schools served with the grant funds;

                (4) the Indian nations, tribes or pueblos engaged using the grant funds; and

                (5) the impact of the grant-funded project or program on the youth participants' educational and professional opportunities.

     SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA GRANT FUND--CREATED.--

          A. The "youth film and media grant fund" is created in the state treasury and shall be administered by the department. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, income from investment of the fund and any other money distributed or otherwise allocated to the fund. Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the fund shall not revert at the end of a fiscal year.

          B. Money in the fund is appropriated to the department for the purposes of making grants pursuant to the New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act in a total amount not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per fiscal year. Disbursements from the fund shall be made by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of higher education or the secretary's authorized representative.

     SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION.--One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the youth film and media grant fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years for making grants pursuant to the New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.