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

SPONSOR Gardner

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/9/06

2/13/06 HB 738

SHORT TITLE Expand ENMU Athletic Training Program

SB

ANALYST Hoffmann

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to House Capital Outlay Request 265 and House Capital Outlay Request 1301.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 738 appropriates $100.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of Eastern

New Mexico University to expand its athletic training program.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100,000 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.

House Bill 738 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This request was not in the list of priority projects submitted by ENMU to the Department of

Higher Education (HED) for review. This request was not included in the HED funding recom-

mendation for FY07.

HED is committed to the adequate and equitable support of necessary instructional, student ser-

vices, and academic support initiatives for all students in New Mexico. Activities to be funded in

this proposal are currently recommended for funding through the Instruction and General (I&G)

higher education funding formula within the General Appropriation Act. Funding of this pro-

gram without consideration of similar needs at all institutions could weaken the equitability and

thus the integrity of the I&G formula.

The LFC’s appropriation recommendations include a lump-sum recommendation for $1,626,700.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

House Capital Outlay Request 1301 would appropriate $50,000 for an “ENMU ATHLETIC

TRAINING EQUIP PURCHASE.”

House Capital Outlay Request 265 would also appropriate $50,000 for an “ENMU ATHLETIC

TRAIN EQUIP PURCHASE.”

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the Higher Education Department, the Athletic Training program at Eastern New

Mexico University fully supports all athletes for injuries and rehabilitation. At ENMU Athletic

Training is not a curriculum program. According to the ENMU college catalog of academic pro-

grams, students can participate as athletic trainers based on work study qualifications and take

courses to earn a minor in Athletic Training. However, the catalog clearly stipulates that “a mi-

nor in Athletic Training will not lead to athletic training certification nor will it be accepted as an

endorsement area on a New Mexico teaching license.” ENMU does not currently offer a bache-

lor’s degree program in athletic training.

CH/nt