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

SPONSOR Lundstrom

DATE TYPED 3/17/05

HB 1043/HBICS/aSFC

SHORT TITLE Horse Rescue and Retirement Facilities

SB

ANALYST Aguilar

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$3.5

Recurring Livestock Board

Operating Fund

$10.0 Nonrecurring Livestock Board

Operating Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

$3.5

$2.0 Recurring

Livestock Board

Operating Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of SFC Amendment

The Senate Finance Committee amendment to the House Business and Industry Committee Sub-

stitute for House Bill 1043 reduces the initial inspection and registration fee for horse rescue and

retirement facilities from $500 dollars to $250 dollars.

Synopsis of Original Bill

The House Business and Industry Committee substitute for House Bill 1043 provides for the

oversight and regulation of horse rescue and retirement facilities. The bill provides for the New

Mexico livestock board, to promulgate rules for horse facilities and further provides for the in-

spection of such facilities. The bill also provides for a hearing and inspection process and allows

for suspension or revocation of registration.

HB 1043 establishes fees for facilities inspection and registration.

House Bill 1043/HBICS/aSFC -- Page 2

Significant Issues

HB 1043 establishes responsibilities for the New Mexico Livestock Board to register facilities

that meet requirements for rescue and retirement facilities.

The committee substitute requires the livestock board to consult annually with representatives

from the equine industry, equine rescue organizations and veterinarians on facility standards.

The livestock board, after consideration of recommendations by national organizations for the

care of unwanted horses and equine rescue and retirement facilities will promulgate rules for fa-

cilities including health and sanitary requirements, standards for barns and pastures, qualifica-

tions of the facility staff, provisions of veterinary care, feeding and watering requirements, trans-

portation, and other requirements to ensure the humane care of horses.

Facilities not meeting livestock board minimum requirements, after notification, a period of time

to remedy deficiencies and re-inspection will be subject to a hearing to determine if the registra-

tion should be suspended or revoked.

Inspectors’ time to regulate these facilities should increase but not significantly. The inspectors

currently have a working relationship with some of these facilities.

The Livestock board proposes to hire a contract veterinarian to promulgate rules and establish

the program.

The Livestock Board notes an outcome of this bill would be to create opportunities for persons

convicted of animal abuse to do community service in one of these facilities.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Activities required by this legislation are within the scope of the livestock board mission.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The committee substitute provides for an initial inspection and registration fee of $500 and fees

of $100 for annual inspections and registration as well as re-inspections if needed.

The Livestock Board expects to hire a contract veterinarian to promulgate rules and estimates

approximately $10 thousand dollars for this activity.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Revenues generated by these activities will not cover the costs of transporting animals if required

by the revocation of registration. Boarding and transportation costs will need to be included in

rules promulgated.

The livestock board notes the reference to wild horses on page 1, line 23 may be an issue in that

currently, wild horses are protected under the federal wild horse and burro program. This lan-

guage appears to be in conflict with current federal law.

PA/lg:yr