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F I S C A
L I M P A C T R E P O R T
|
SPONSOR: |
Nava |
DATE TYPED: |
02/06/03 |
HB |
|
||
|
SHORT TITLE: |
Expand Adult & Family Literacy Services |
SB |
352 |
||||
|
|
ANALYST: |
Gonzales |
|||||
APPROPRIATION
|
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
|
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
|
$250.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
General
Fund |
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES
OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses
Received From
State
Library, Office of Cultural Affairs
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
Senate Bill 352
appropriates $250.0 from the general fund to the library division of the Office
of Cultural Affairs for the purpose of contracting with a statewide nonprofit
adult literacy organization to provide basic literacy services in areas of the
state that are underserved by existing adult basic education and literacy
programs.
Significant
Issues
The areas of the state that are currently
underserved are the far eastern and far western parts of New Mexico.
The appropriation is designated for program
management and operating support for community-based literacy programs
utilizing volunteer tutors to deliver expanded adult literacy services.
Technical support for these programs shall
include training on evaluation standards and techniques, best practices in the
delivery of literacy services, board development and training, volun
teer recruitment and support, financial and
program management and quantifiable documentation of outcomes.
The State Library oversees the contract with the
New Coalition for Literacy (NMCL), who in turn funds the adult basic literacy
programs, states that the NMCL is only able to fund existing program grantees
collectively at approximately one-third less than their stated need and request
for funds.
According to the State Library, with the
existing funds appropriated to the State Library for this purpose, last year
NMCL funded adult basic literacy programs that utilized 79,000 volunteer hours
for the neediest New Mexicans whose education is below the fourth grade level
and need one-on-one instruction because they cannot, for one reason or another,
fit into an institutional, classroom setting.
The adult basic literacy programs funded by the NMCL differ from adult
literacy programs of the State Department of Education.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
The New Mexico Coalition for Literacy provided
the following statistics regarding the existing appropriated funds for adult
literacy services.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$250.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY04 shall revert to
the general fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The State Library acts
as a pass through for funds appropriated for adult literacy to the New Coalition
for Literacy. The State Library does
not take out administrative costs for administering the appropriation;
therefore, additional funds for the purpose proposed by this bill would not
create additional burden to the State Library.
JMG/prr