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

SPONSOR Boitano

DATE TYPED 3/08/05

HB

SHORT TITLE Dona Ana & Bernalillo Relationship Training

SB 995

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$200.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to an appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Human Services Department (HSD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 995 appropriates $200 thousand from the general fund to the Human Services De-

partment to contract with non-profit agencies (including faith based) in Bernalillo and Dona Ana

counties to establish a public advertising campaign on the value of marriage; relationship skills

training for high school students; financial management training for non-married pregnant

women and non-married expectant fathers; skills training for engaged couples; divorce reduction

programs and marriage mentoring programs.

Significant Issues

Human Services reports.

Although it is proposed that this bill be funded with general fund monies rather than the federal

TANF block grant, the purpose of the bill aligns with two of the TANF federal goals: (1) to pre-

vent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (2) to encourage the formation and mainte-

Senate Bill 995 -- Page 2

nance of two-parent families.

Currently, the Human Services Department Income Support Division (ISD) contracts for similar

services with the Cooperative Extension Service at New Mexico State University (NMSU) for $1

million TANF block grant dollars in FY 2005 to provide strengthening family and fatherhood

services. In addition, HSD also contracts for services with the Public Education Department

(PED) Graduation Reality and Dual Role Skills (GRADS) teen pregnancy prevention program

for $1.3 million TANF block grant dollars.

The bill does not specify whether these programs would be available to the general public or to

low-income TANF eligible families. If the program is for low-income families at or below 100

percent of the federal poverty guidelines with children present in the home, the expenditures

could be credited toward the State’s TANF Maintenance of Effort (MOE).

The bill only appropriates services for Doņa Ana and Bernalillo Counties. It is not clear why

these two counties were chosen for service delivery as compared to the other counties in the

State.

It is not clear whether this bill supplements or duplicates proposed appropriations in the Gover-

nor and LFC FY 2006 budgets for family strengthening initiatives such as the NMSU and PED

GRADS programs.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Clear performance indicators should be required to evaluate the success of the programs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $200 thousand 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 general fund.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The appropriation is for only $200 thousand and it seems optimistic that much can be accom-

plished in all the areas mentioned. Consideration should be given to focusing the resources on

one or two activities in hopes of having a greater impact.

MW/yr