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

SPONSOR:	HAFCS		DATE TYPED:	3/21/03		HB	1001/HAFCS
SHORT TITLE:		Public Peace, Health, Safety and Welfare				SB
					ANALYST:		Chabot

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue		Subsequent Years Impact	Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04
		$.01 (see Narrative)	Non-Recurring	State Veterans’ Service Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to SB 285

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

The House Appropriations and Finance Committee Substitute for House Government and Urban Affairs Committee Substitute for House Bill 1001 creates the State Veterans’ Service Fund that will consist of money appropriated and all money collected or received by the state for purposes of establishing a state veteran’s cemetery and for purposes of developing a program to identify the veterans in all of the counties of New Mexico. Money in the fund shall be appropriated to the New Mexico Veterans’ Service Commission for the purpose of conducting a study of parcels of state land in Albuquerque in Bernalillo county and other state lands to assess their suitability for a state veterans’ cemetery and to identify the veterans in all of the counties of New Mexico.

Significant Issues

This bill creates a fund with no appropriation to the fund. It anticipates future revenue that is not specified. Any federal funds received to establish a State Veterans’ Cemetery, such as being designed for Fort Stanton, would have to be deposited into this fund. These funds would be restricted to a specific cemetery; however, the bill appropriates money in the fund for conducting a study of land to assess suitability for other state veterans’ cemeteries and for developing a program to identify the veterans throughout New Mexico. Federal funds received could only be used for this purpose if specified as a condition of the grant. Commingling of funds with different sources and purposes can result in audit and accounting difficulties.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining in the State Veterans’ Service Fund shall not revert.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. What is the benefit of creating a fund with no appropriation?

GAC/yr