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| SPONSOR: | Smith | DATE TYPED: | 02/13/00 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Learning Center Act | SB | 406/aSFl#1 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Pacheco-Perez | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY00 | FY01 | FY00 | FY01 | ||
| NA | |||||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Commission on Higher Education (CHE)
Attorney General (AG)
New Mexico Department of Labor (DOL)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of SFl#1 Amendment
This amendment strikes the term "unnecessary" with regards to construction of new campuses and buildings.
Synopsis of Bill
The Learning Center Act enables the creation of learning centers and learning center districts. After approval by the CHE, communities are authorized to elect a local board and to impose a local tax to support the operations of the learning center. Any tax approved by voters will not exceed $5 per $1,000 of taxable value property and may not be imposed for more than six years.
Significant Issues
Powers and duties of the learning center board are as follows: manage operations and contract for accredited, educational programs and services; provide for transfer of credits to other institutions; set tuition and fee rates; monitor performance in meeting community's educational and training needs; employ staff; authorize imposition of a property tax levy; and seek grants, gifts and other sources.
The CHE has been a long time supporter of centers which broker instruction from existing public post-secondary institutions. Centers also link education and training needs to community workforce development and economic development initiatives.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
Any fiscal impact would depend on the revenue generated by the local tax levy.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
As an amendment, the DOL suggests that learning center district boards should coordinate their efforts with local boards created pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to the CHE, many unserved and underserved communities lack access to necessary education and training programs.
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