SENATE BILL 453

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Timothy Z. Jennings

AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO BUILD AND REFURBISH PUBLIC SCHOOL SCIENCE FACILITIES AND LABORATORIES STATEWIDE.

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

     Section 1. APPROPRIATION--PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE LABORATORIES.--

          A. One hundred thirty million dollars ($130,000,000) is appropriated from the severance tax bonding fund to the public school capital outlay fund for expenditure by the public school capital outlay council, as provided in Subsections B and C of this section, in fiscal year 2010 and subsequent fiscal years in making grants to build or refurbish and equip public high school science laboratories throughout the state. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.          B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 22-24-4 NMSA 1978, the expenditure of the appropriation made in this section shall not be subject to a standards-based process, but the public school capital outlay council shall develop a process to evaluate and prioritize applications made by public high schools for a grant award for a high school science laboratory pursuant to this section.

          C. A school district desiring a grant award for a high school science laboratory pursuant to this section shall submit an application to the public school capital outlay council. The application shall include an assessment of the existing science laboratory and equipment at the high school and the need for new or refurbished laboratory facilities or equipment.

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