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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Youngberg

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/18/07

HB 1286

SHORT TITLE Life Management Skills for Inmates

SB

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NA

$750.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Labor Department (LD)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 1286 appropriates $750.0 from the general fund to the New Mexico Corrections

Department to contract for a program that develops and addresses the following for inmates in

correctional facilities:

•

Life-management skills;

•

Human development and self-esteem issues;

•

The concepts of commitment and collective responsibility;

•

Problem-solving and decision-making with the goal of eliminating past difficulties;

•

Basic money management skills with the goal of avoiding further difficulties; and

•

Skills needed to acquire and retain employment.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $750.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert

to the general fund.

House Bill 1286 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMCD notes the department already utilizes educational and other staff to provide life skills

management training in its adult basic education, vocational programs, pre-release programming

and Success for Offender After Release programs. NMCD consults with the National Institute of

Corrections about life skills programming and follows the institute’s model for providing life

skills training to inmates. NMCD notes the department has a substantial amount of experience in

providing this training to inmates.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The proposed legislation could impact the following performance measures of the New Mexico

Corrections Department:

•

Recidivism rate of the success for offenders after release program by 36 months (fiscal

year 2006 actual 40.77 percent and fiscal year 2006 target 40 percent),

•

Number of inmates enrolled in adult basic education (fiscal year 2006 actual 2,850 and

fiscal year 2006 target 1,350), and

•

Percent of released inmates who were enrolled in the Success for Offenders After Release

program who are now gainfully employed (fiscal year 2006 actual 70.2 percent and fiscal

year 2006 target not applicable due to it being a new measure).

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMCD would have to oversee the contract regarding the life skills training. NMCD states the

overseeing of the contract would place a significant administrative burden on the department.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

The proposed legislation has a relationship with Senate Bill 1190.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The Department of Labor reports it works with the Corrections Department in assisting with the

placement of individuals into jobs upon their release from prison.

ALTERNATIVES

NMCD notes an alternative would be to utilize the appropriation in the proposed legislation for

the department’s own staff to enhance existing life management skills training done by the

Corrections Department.

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