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

SPONSOR Robinson

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/9/06

HB

SHORT TITLE UNM Natural High Program

SB 429

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$150.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 429 appropriates $150,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the Uni-

versity of New Mexico (UNM) to support the Natural High Program.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $150,000 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.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This proposal was not included among the special program funding requests submitted by the

UNM to the Higher Education Department (HED) for review. Consequently, this proposal has

not been included in the HED fiscal year 2007 funding recommendations to the Legislature.

Senate Bill 429 – Page

2

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

UNM would administer the requested appropriation. No significant impact is evident.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

HED reports that the Natural High Program is a UNM-sponsored youth outreach program. This

program is a project of UNM Recreational Services with a focus on middle school students. The

mission of the Natural High Program is to provide positive alternatives to at-risk behavior

through educational, arts and recreational activities. The program aspires to empower the youth

to realize their highest potential by teaming them with enthusiastic, dedicated UNM students as

role models. According to the special programs director at UNM, the program exposes middle

school-aged students to the possibility of college with tutoring, campus visits, workshops, team

building, and leadership activities. The mentors work with the schools, and the New Mexico

Public Education Department's Next Step program to deliver the activities.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

How has this program been supported in previous years.

DKE/nt