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
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Previously issued FIRs and attachments may also be obtained from the LFC
in
|
SPONSOR |
Lopez, Linda |
DATE TYPED |
|
HB |
|
||
|
SHORT
TITLE |
Teen Parenting & Pregnancy Prevention
Program |
SB |
319 |
||||
|
|
ANALYST |
Baca |
|||||
APPROPRIATION
|
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
|
FY04 |
FY05 |
FY04 |
FY05 |
||
|
|
$1,300.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
General
Fund TANF
MOE |
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)
Relates to HB 230, HJM 6, SB 341, & SJM 15
Relates
to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
LFC Files
Responses
Received From
Department
of Health (DOH)
Health
& Human Services Department (HSD)
No
Response
New
Mexico Department of Public Education
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 319 appropriates $1.3 million from
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) maintenance of effort funding to the
Public Education Department to provide secondary parenting classes and case
management, on-site child care services and fatherhood support groups to reduce
out-of-wedlock births.
Significant Issues
The appropriation in this bill funds the GRADS
(Graduation, Reality, and Dual Skills) program which has been administered by
the PED since 1990. The GRADS system
offers a highly effective system for dealing with teen pregnancies and
pregnancy prevention programs, and this has been true in
Need for
and effectiveness of the program are well established.
HSD
reports that:
In FY 03, GRADS received $1.3 million and served
778 students by GRADS intervention programs, 717 were teenage moms enrolled at
34 GRADS sites, and 61 were teenage fathers. The traditional teen parent
component of GRADS reached 776 teenage parents (44 married), 208 teen parents
graduated from high school, and 605 infants, toddlers and children were served
in licensed GRADS child care center at schools with GRADS programs.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $1.3 million contained in
this bill transfers the money from HSD to the PED as a match for federal funds,
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.
In its analysis, HSD states that the situation
described below could occur:
The Executive and LFC budget
both recommend $1.3 million for a statewide GRADS program from the TANF block
grant and not MOE. The funding for GRADS
and their services to teens and families would come from this pool of funds,
and services would be negotiated. The
$1.3 million in SB 319 will require HSD to reallocate the $1.3 million in the
TANF MOE designated for another program or service or increase general
fund.
RELATIONSHIPS
SB 319 relates to:
HB
230,
HJM
6, Study Early Childhood Education Programs,
SB
341, Fatherhood & Family Strengthening Program, and
SJM
15, Develop Comprehensive Teen Parent Issues Plan
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
It is not clear in the bill or in the three
analyses submitted whether this bill will require additional general fund
dollars or whether this bill merely proposes to transfer both fiscal and
program responsibilities to the PED. Two
of the analyses suggest this transfer is an increase in funding for this program.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
1.
Does the
sponsor intend that this bill actually increase funding for this program?
2.
If so, will
additional general fund be need so HSD can continue its maintenance of effort
commitment?
LB/lg