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

SPONSOR:	Papen		DATE TYPED:	03/05/03		HB
SHORT TITLE:		NM State Veterans’ Museum in Las Cruces				SB	SJM 68
					ANALYST:		Gonzales

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
			See Narrative

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HJM70

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Office of Cultural Affairs

Commission of Higher Education

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 68 requests the Office of Cultural Affairs, the city of Las Cruces and the New Mexico State University to collaborate on a proposal to establish a New Mexico state veterans’ museum in Las Cruces. This memorial also requests the entities to report their results and recommendation to the Legislative Finance Committee by October 1, 2003.

Significant Issues

This memorial recognizes there are 21 museums scattered throughout New Mexico that include military items and exhibits in their collections that contain artifacts from different wars and campaigns, yet the contributions of New Mexico’s veterans are not adequately represented in a single location. Additionally, this memorial indicates Las Cruces is a logical choice for a New Mexico State Veterans’ Museum since Las Cruces: (1) is home to a significant population of veterans and which lies in close proximity to Fort Bliss, Biggs army field, White Sands missile range and Holloman air force base, and (2) is home to New Mexico State University which could contribute its resources to the consolidation of military artifacts that are now scattered throughout the State and could assist with the establishment of a New Mexico State Veterans’ Museum.

FISCAL and ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There is no appropriation contained in this bill; however, there would be some cost incurred by the three participating entities in complying with the provisions of this memorial that would have be absorbed by each entity.

The Office of Cultural Affairs is charged with administering the State’s family of museums and historic monuments. Therefore, its expertise and consultation could assist with early planning and development for such a museum, no matter what entity eventually manages and operates it.

The possible development of this new museum as a State-run facility within the Office of Cultural Affairs raises numerous questions, such as financial sustainability, staffing, existence of an adequate collection, successful marketing/audience share, etc. Presently, museums throughout the state are struggling with attendance issues. That is certainly the case with OCA, State-run museums. The Office of Cultural Affairs exists as a family of eight museums and six historic monuments, all funded and operated by the State of New Mexico. Adequate funding for operations, staffing, marketing, and maintenance is a major challenge for these existing institutions.

DUPLICATION

This memorial is a duplicate of House Joint Memorial 70.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Each individual museum in New Mexico that includes military items and exhibits in their collections would need to be willing to give up their collections—or a part of them—for collection, interpretation and presentation at a larger museum in Las Cruces.

JMG/prr