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

SPONSOR Arnold-Jones

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/30/06

HB 340

SHORT TITLE Geospatial Resources Act

SB

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$850.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

FY08

Unknown

Unknown Recurring

OSF

(See Narrative)

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)

Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

State Engineer/Interstate Stream Commission (OSE/ISC)

Department of Labor(DOL)

Higher Education Department(HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 340 – Page

2

House Bill 340, the proposed Geospatial Resources Act, appropriates $850,000 from the general

fund to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico (UNM) to establish and operate

the Geospatial Resources Program (GRP) at the University of New Mexico’s Earth Data Analy-

sis Center. The bill creates the program and establishes a process for appointment of a program

manager. Powers and duties of the GRP are defined. A nine-member Geospacial Resources

Advisory Committee (GRAC) is created and administratively attached to the Office of the Chief

Information Officer. Members of the GRAC are to be appointed by the Information Technology

Commission for staggered three-year terms. The GRP would serve as a collaborative center for

geospatial (mapping) expertise within New Mexico, provide a clearinghouse for geospatial data,

establish state geospatial standards, coordinate geographic information systems projects among

state agencies, and develop a statewide long-range geographic information system strategic plan.

The advisory committee would provide guidance and direction on geospatial issues to the ITC

and to the GRP.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $850,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

Section 4C of the bill (page 4, lines 17-20) authorizes the program to collect fees and assess

charges for services performed and to retain the revenue for future expenditure. The bill does

not specify what those charges might be or how they would be established.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This appropriation request was not on the list of priority projects submitted by UNM to the

Higher Education Department (HED) for review and was not included in the HED's funding fis-

cal year 2007 funding recommendation to the Legislature.

The OCIO analysis raises questions about the need for the proposed legislation, suggesting that

existing mechanisms may be adequate for the purpose of coordinating geospatial resource activi-

ties in the state. Analyses provided by EMNRD and OSE/ICE are more positive about the poten-

tial benefits relative to coordination of planning and programs.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

UNM would administer the program established through this legislation. The bill provides that

the manager of the program would be hired by UNM from a list of names provided by the

GRAC. It is not clear how this process would integrate with the personnel management proc-

esses of the university.

The Bill administratively attaches the GRAC to the Office of the Chief Information Officer

(OCIO), which could have administrative and budget implications for the OCIO.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Information provided by HED indicates that the Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC) has existed

at UNM for 42 years. EDAC is a service arm of UNM engaged in applied research to transfer

House Bill 340 – Page

3

remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technologies to the public and private

sector in NM, the Southwest Region, and the nation. EDAC’s primary products and services are

in geospatial data access and retrieval, customized image processing, GIS database development,

technical assistance, system integration, infrastructure development, and technology develop-

ment. The program collaborates with UNM Economics Department, Environmental Protection

Agency, NASA, and the New Mexico Department of Health to address issues of habitat, envi-

ronmental, and public health issues in New Mexico and the Southwest.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer notes that the proposed Geospatial Resources Pro-

gram is intended to fund coordinative geospatial activities. OCIO states that a Geospatial Data

Acquisition Advisory Coordination Committee (GDAACC) was established by Executive Order

2003-018, which utilizes the NM Geospatial Advisory Committee (formerly the Geographic In-

formation Systems Advisory Committee) for the purpose of assessing and coordinating geospa-

tial data acquisitions for the State of New Mexico. Currently, coordinative activities take place

through the efforts of the members of the existing Geospatial Advisory Committee (GAC), the

Geospatial Data Acquisition Coordination Committee (GDACC), National States Geographic

Information Council (NSGIC), New Mexico Geographic Information Council, ad hoc work

groups, and other collaborations.

OSE/ISC indicates that this bill would provide benefits and efficiencies for all state agencies that

use geospatial data. The bill would support the mission of the OSE/ISC and promote the accom-

plishment of a number of the State Water Plan implementation strategies addressing inter-agency

collaboration. Another plus would be the expansion of collaborative/coordinative geospatial ser-

vices that would include local and federal participation.

EMNRD reports that a fully functioning GRP would reduce duplicative purchases of geospatial

datasets by many state agencies and would provide an enhanced mechanism for deploying geo-

spatial information. A stable and reliable remotely accessible distribution mechanism would re-

duce the need for constant expansion of networked storage and its costs. In addition, the GRP,

through a web-based interactive mapping application, could provide geospatial capabilities to

agencies without the need for purchasing and maintaining expensive software, and with a less-

ened need for in-house geospatial expertise within those agencies. In short, a sufficiently funded

and fully functioning GRP would save EMNRD, and, therefore, the taxpayers, money.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Existing advisory groups and coordinating mechanism remain in place.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

How would the $850,000 appropriation be utilized.

How much revenue is anticipated to be raised from fees and charges for services.

Is it intended that the proposed Geospatial Resources Advisory Committee replace the current

NM Geospatial Advisory Committee.

DKE/mt