45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION TO CONTRACT FOR A STATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR DEVELOPING A STATEWIDE NETWORK; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--

A. Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the information technology commission for expenditure in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 to contract for a technical quantitative assessment of the telecommunications infrastructure in the state and an implementation plan for development of a statewide network, to be referred to as "Enchantnet", that will include educational institutions, health care entities, government agencies and the private sector.

B. Components of the assessment described in Subsection A of this section shall include identification of leapfrog technologies that can fill the connectivity gap and assessments of: military communications infrastructure; public broadcast television coverage; existing state agency connectivity; and connectivity of public schools, institutions of higher learning and libraries, public health facilities and tribal entities.

C. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining from the appropriation in Subsection A of this section at the end of fiscal year 2003 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.