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

SPONSOR Luján, A.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/4/06

HB 372

SHORT TITLE New Mexico History Scholars Program

SB

ANALYST Medina

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates SB 358

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

State Commission of Public Records (SCPR)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 372 appropriates $100.0 from the general fund to the State Commission of Public Re-

cords for the purpose of expanding the State Historian’s New Mexico History Scholars Program

with additional research fellowships and to support the lecture program.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100.0 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.

The agency received a special appropriation of $9.5 in fiscal year 2006 to begin the scholars pro-

gram. The LFC recommended continuing the scholars program with an additional $14.4 in the

agency’s base budget. HAFC Substitute for House Bill 2 reflects this recommendation.

House Bill 372 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the State Commission of Public Records, this appropriation would “supplement

that amount and would be used to expand the number of scholarships available; enable research

at other institutions holding historical documents by providing compensation for travel; and

funding advertising, room rentals and associated costs for an expanded lecture program. The

agency does hope to continue the scholars program in future years as a means of promoting an

interest in and appreciation of NM history, in compliance with its strategic plan.”

DUPLICATION

This bill duplicates Senate Bill 358.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The scholars program will continue to be limited in its capacity to provide fellowships for re-

search will be limited to the state archives.

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