44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR CHARACTER COUNTS PROGRAMS STATEWIDE.

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

Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--

A. Nine hundred eighty-five thousand dollars ($985,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the state department of public education for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 for the purpose of paying for character counts programs statewide. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.

B. The appropriation made in this section shall be expended for the following purposes:

(1) develop and maintain an electronic clearing-house, including a library, resource center and communications; and

(2) provide programmatic activities, including:

(a) statewide training;

(b) materials procurement and distribution;

(c) consultation services and support for both new and existing programs;

(d) community start-up initiatives; and

(e) coordinate annual character development recognition programs.

C. The state department of public education shall distribute the appropriation statewide to communities having or initiating character development programs. The department shall develop a request for proposal process for distribution of the funds with the assistance of a statewide character counts coordinating organization. Schools and communities shall be eligible for:

(1) one dollar fifty cents ($1.50) per student for character development programs, activities and materials, except that a minimum of five hundred dollars ($500) shall be made available to each school; and

(2) communities on a matching fund basis of seventy-five cents ($.75) per student, except that a minimum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) shall be made available to each school.

D. Any funds not disbursed pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) of Subsection C of this section shall, within six months of receipt, be allocated by the state department of public education after seeking recommendations from a statewide character counts coordinating organization.