[1] NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Sanchez, M.

 

DATE TYPED:

2-5-02

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

NMSU Wild Horses Preservation Services

 

SB

193

 

 

ANALYST:

Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$318.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates/Relates to Appropriation in The General Appropriation Act

 

Relates to SB 189

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Commission on Higher Education  (CHE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 189 (SB189) appropriates $318,000 from the general fund to New Mexico State University (NMSU) for expenditure in fiscal year 2003 (FY03) for the Department of Agriculture to conduct DNA tests on free-roaming horses to determine the lineage of the original Spanish horses.

 

     Significant Issues

 

SB 193 appropriates $318,000 for NMDA to contract for preservation measures, including round-ups and DNA testing of wild horses in Valencia and Torrance counties. 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $318.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY2003 shall revert to the general fund.

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

According to the CHE, this bill would add one more research/public service project to the current list of ninety-four projects, which are funded as separate line items outside of the higher education funding formula.  According to CHE policy, each of these projects must be subjected to a thorough evaluation once every four years to be eligible for continued funding.  This evaluation process has been developed by the CHE to be consistent with the Accountability in Government Act (AGA) mandated by the state legislature

 

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

 

Senate Bill193 relates to Senate Bill189.  Senate Bill 189 appropriates $100,000 from the general fund to New Mexico State University (NMSU) for expenditure in fiscal year 2003 (FY03) for the NMDA to conduct DNA tests on free-roaming horses to determine the lineage of the original Spanish horses.  SB193 is more specific in how and where funds are to be expended, and appropriates substantially more funds to the round-up and DNA testing of free-roaming horses.

 

SB 193 relatees to the the General Approporiation Act which includes the appropriation for nmsu.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

The following is provided for information only.  It is not intended as a commentary on the merits of the program:

 

This program was not included in NMSU’s Board of Regents’ request to the CHE.  Consequently it was not reviewed nor recommended by the CHE.

 

LB/njw

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