HOUSE BILL 1039

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Daniel R. Foley

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ATHLETICS; CREATING A PILOT PROJECT TO DETERMINE IF FREE ADMISSION TO SCHOOL ATHLETIC EVENTS WILL AFFECT STUDENT AND PARENT PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL EVENTS AND REDUCE JUVENILE CRIME RATES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--SCHOOL ATHLETICS PARTICIPATION PILOT PROJECT.--

          A. The "school athletics participation pilot project" is created as a three-year study that provides free admission to all New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events of the Roswell independent school district. The pilot project shall be implemented at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year and end at the end of the 2007-2008 school year. The purpose of the pilot project is to determine if free admission affects student and parent participation in school events and reduces juvenile crime rates.

          B. The pilot project shall be administered by the public education department with the cooperation of the Roswell independent school district, the children, youth and families department and the children's court in Chaves county. The pilot project shall compile and contrast statistics on:

                (1) juvenile delinquency and activities of children that qualify their families as families in need of services or families in need of court-ordered services for the previous five years and years of the pilot project, particularly on dates of New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events;

                (2) student participation in New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events as players;

                (3) student attendance at New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events as attendees;

                (4) parent attendance at New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events; and

                (5) overall attendance at New Mexico athletic association-sanctioned athletic events.

          C. The public education department and the Roswell independent school district shall evaluate the program at the end of the three-year pilot project period and issue a final report to the governor and the legislature by December 1, 2008. The department and the school district shall provide interim reports to the legislative education study committee and other appropriate interim committees of the legislature.

          D. This section is repealed January 1, 2009.

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal years 2006 through 2009 to hold harmless the Roswell independent school district for the loss of admission revenue from athletic events during the term of the school athletics participation pilot project. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Public School Finance Act, the money from this appropriation shall be transferred to the school district at the beginning of fiscal year 2006 and shall be budgeted by the school district as admissions revenue from athletic events is budgeted. Money not budgeted in a fiscal year, but reserved for budgeting in future fiscal years of the pilot project, shall not be counted as cash balances. This appropriation is in addition to any appropriations to the school district through the state equalization guarantee distribution. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2009 shall not revert to the general fund.

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