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

SPONSOR

Madalena

DATE TYPED 02-09-05 HB 792

SHORT TITLE Native American Voters Alliance Conference

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$50.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for the Indian Affairs Department in the General Appropriations Act.

Duplicates SB548 (as amended by SIAC Committee Report dated 2-3-05)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

Responses Not Received From

New Mexico Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 792 – Making an Appropriation for a

Native American Voters Alliance Conference –

ap-

propriates $50,000 from the general fund to the Indian Affairs Department for expenditure in

FY06 to conduct a Native American Voters Alliance Conference. Any unexpended or unencum-

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

House Bill 792 -- Page 2

Significant Issues:

IAD indicates that, as of August 25, 2004, data from the New Mexico Secretary of State reflect

that there are some 50,883 registered Native American voters in New Mexico – a very small per-

centage of the state’s eligible Native Americans. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are

1,819,046 Native Americans in New Mexico, and although the numbers of Native American vot-

ers may have increased during the last presidential election, there is still a large population of

state Native Americans who decline to vote.

IAD notes that, in the past, language barriers and other significant problems have deterred eligi-

ble Native Americans from participating in the voting process. Further, that this bill would ad-

dress the continuing need to provide education and coordination with respect to Native American

voter issues, while encouraging tribes and tribal communities to play a vital role in increasing the

numbers of New Mexico’s Native American voter population.

IAD concludes that with proper training and coordination – central to which is the

Native Ameri-

can Voters Alliance Conference –

Native American participation in the election process would be

greatly enhanced.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50,000 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

The Indian Affairs Department would retain oversight of this project.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for the Indian Affairs Department in the General Appropriations Act.

Duplicates SB548 – as amended in SIAC Committee Report dated 2-3-05 – which also seeks to

appropriate $50,000 from the general fund to the Indian Affairs Department for expenditure in

FY06 to conduct a Native American Voters Alliance Conference.

BFW/njw