HOUSE BILL 272

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

W. Ken Martinez and Mary Kay Papen

AN ACT

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TOWARD JOB CREATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

     SECTION 1. APPROPRIATIONS.--

          A. Eighteen million five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($18,550,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the economic development department for the following purposes:

                (1) one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for the corporation created pursuant to the Economic Development Corporation Act to use for marketing and hiring employees sufficient to meet prospect-development and caseload-by-industry targets;

                (2) two million dollars ($2,000,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for a cooperative marketing program that provides matching funds to stimulate local prospect-development efforts;

                (3) ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for projects pursuant to the Local Economic Development Act. The economic development department shall report its progress to the appropriate interim legislative committee;

                (4) two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for certified business incubators;

                (5) one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for a program to prepare for and respond to economic base employment opportunities generated by United States forest service restoration programs;

                (6) two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 to develop and test a job creation program focused on solo workers; and

                (7) four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) to the development training fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 and subsequent fiscal years for a development training program providing classroom and in-plant training to furnish qualified human resources for certain new or expanding industries and businesses in the state. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

          B. Three million dollars ($3,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the tourism department for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for the following purposes:

                (1) two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to expand marketing and develop visitor-experience activities; and

                (2) five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to develop and begin implementing an online customer service training system to improve customer service in the tourism and hospitality industries.

          C. One hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the higher education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 to develop a work force gap forecasting model that will identify the number of jobs that will be needed in the future, the skills, knowledge and experience that those jobs will require, the education and training pipeline and the gaps in supply and demand.

          D. Three million dollars ($3,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the workforce solutions department for expenditure in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 to implement or expand summer youth employment programs that include work force skill development and mentoring in state and local government agencies.

          E. Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the board of regents of the university of New Mexico for expenditure in fiscal year 2015 for the bureau of business and economic research at the university of New Mexico to develop a jobs-impact model that would help decision-makers evaluate the impact of proposed legislation on the likely creation or destruction of economic base jobs.

          F. Except as otherwise provided, any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2015 from an appropriation in this section shall revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 2. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

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