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 also 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	Romero		DATE TYPED	1/26/04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Military Honors at Resident Veteran Funerals				SB	79
					ANALYST		Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
		NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Veterans Service Commission (VSC)

Responses Not Received From

Department of Military Affairs (DMA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 79 authorizes the Governor to order into active service any component or part of the New Mexico National Guard to provide military honors at the funerals of resident veterans and authorizes VSC to pay reimbursement to local veterans organizations not to exceed $50 for providing honors at veterans’ funerals.

Significant Issues

Department of Veterans Affairs Pamphlet, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, states “Upon request, the Department of Defense will provide military funeral honors for the burial of military members and eligible veterans. A basic military funeral honors ceremony consists of the folding and presentation of the United States flag and the playing of Taps by a bugler, if available, or by electronic recording. A funeral honors detail to perform this ceremony consists of two or more uniform members of the armed forces, with at least one member from the service in which the deceased veteran served.”

However, scheduling of active duty military members has been difficult because of operational considerations. The First Session of the Forty-Sixth Legislature authorized $50 thousand to contract with veterans’ organizations to provide honors at military funerals. This amount has been included in the base budget of VSC. This bill allows the Governor to direct the National Guard to provide honors if a veterans’ organization is not available.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Costs may be incurred by the Department of Military Affairs if personnel are ordered to active duty to perform his service; however, the department did not respond to the FIR request.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. How often would the National Guard be asked to perform these services?
2. How many groups have agreed to participate in the military honors at veterans’ burials program?
3. In what parts of New Mexico is VSC having difficulty finding veterans organizations to perform burial honors?

GAC/yr