Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they are used for other purposes.

 

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are available on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).  Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not.  Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

 

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR

Moore

DATE TYPED

02-23-2004

HB

9

 

SHORT TITLE

NMSU-Tucumcari Research Program

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

 

 

$341.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC Files

Commission on Higher Education (CHE) Funding Recommendations for FY05

 

Response Received From

NMSU, College of Agriculture and Home Economics

 

No Responses

Commission on Higher Education

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 9 appropriates $341,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of NMSU for expenditure in FY05 to enhance research and education programs relating to water conservation and rangeland ecology at the Agricultural Science Center in Tucumcari.   The bill appropriates $219,000 to be expended by the Agricultural Experiment Station and $122,000 by the Cooperative Extension Service.

 

Significant Issues

 

Need for this program is explained in the NMSU analysis  as follows:

 

 “Economically feasible techniques for converting flood irrigated acreage to sprinkler

 or drip irrigation must be developed.  Methods for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of irrigation delivery systems need to be identified.  Methods of monitoring and improving rangeland watersheds and ecosystems must be developed.  Grazing systems that optimize rangeland utilization in periods of drought or abundant rainfall are important to the sustainability of rangelands in New Mexico.” 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $341.0  contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the general fund.

 

RELATIONSHIP

 

This appropriation relates to the appropriation for NMSU in the General Appropriation Act.

 

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

This program request was not included in the recommendations submitted by the Board of Regents to the CHE and was thus not considered by the Commission.

 

AMENDMENTS

 

The following language is suggested for all new recurring higher education programs and expansion of current programs (assuming that funding will continue beyond FY05):

 

“The institution receiving the appropriation in this bill shall submit a program evaluation to the Legislative Finance Committee and the Commission on Higher Education by August 2007 detailing the benefits to the State of New Mexico from having implemented this program over a three period.”

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.                  Was this request submitted to the NMSU Board of Regents?

2.                  If not, why not?

3.                  If so, why was it not recommended by the CHE?

 

 

RLG/lg