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

SPONSOR HEC

DATE TYPED 02-22-05 HB 17/HECS

SHORT TITLE Expand Gender Equity in College Athletics

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$300.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for New Mexico State University in the General Appropriations Act.

Duplicates SB281

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 17/HECS – Making an Appropriation for the Equestrian Program at New Mexico

State University – appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico State University for expenditure in FY06 for the equestrian program. Any unexpended

or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues

NMSU notes that this bill will enable NMSU to retain its Division 1-A membership classifica-

tion in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) for all intercollegiate sports spon-

sored by the university. Further, that this action is necessary as new membership criterion estab-

lished by the NCAA require that for an institution to be designated a Division 1-A program – the

House Bill 17/HECS -- Page 2

highest level of competition in the NCAA – it must sponsor a minimum of sixteen sports. NMSU

has elected to add women’s equestrian as its’ sixteenth sport so as to meet the newly established

sports sponsorship criterion for the NCAA’s Division 1-A membership classification.

CHE notes that this request was not in the list of priority projects submitted by New Mexico

State University to CHE for review. Accordingly, the request was not included in the commis-

sion’s funding recommendation for FY06.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

NMSU indicates that women’s equestrian – to include scholarships, coaching and an athletic

trainer position – begins competition in spring 2005.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMSU would retain oversight of the program.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for New Mexico State University in the General Appropriations Act.

Duplicates SB281 in that SB281 also seeks to appropriate $300,000 from the general fund to the

Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for expenditure in FY06 for the equestrian

program.

BFW/lg