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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Altamirano
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2-10-06
HB
SHORT TITLE Hispanic Affairs Act
SB 498
ANALYST Segura
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY06
FY07
$250.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Public Education Department (PED)
No Responses Received From
Cultural Affairs Department (CAD)
Human Services Department (HSD)
REVENUE (dollars in thousands)
Estimated Revenue
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY06
FY07
FY08
$250.0
Recurring
Hispanic Affairs
Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 498 requests that the Legislature enact the Hispanic Affairs Act.
pg_0002
Senate Bill 498 – Page 2
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
Senate Bill 498 appropriates $250.0 from the general fund and is recurring. Any unexpended or
unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert.
This bill creates a new fund and provides for continuing appropriations. The LFC has concerns
with including continuing appropriation language in the statutory provisions for newly created
funds, as earmarking reduces the ability of the legislature to establish spending priorities.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Senate Bill 498 appropriates general fund to pay the costs of establishing the office, hiring staff
and carrying out the provisions of the Hispanic Affairs Act. The appropriation is for fiscal year
2007 and subsequent fiscal years and is not reverting. The legislation creates the “Office of His-
panic Affairs” and is administratively attached to the Human Services Department. Senate Bill
498 also creates the “Office of Hispanic Affairs Fund”.
According to PED, there is currently no one agency at the state level that provides the services
that will be covered in the act. For the 2005-2006 academic school years, 54 percent of the stu-
dent population attending public school districts is Hispanic or Latino. Academic achievement
and dropout data show a significant gap between Latino students and other student groups in
New Mexico public schools who are performing at a higher level. Educational research has
shown that, in order to reduce this gap, efforts must come from different educational entities,
parents and community groups.
The Office of Hispanic Affairs would serve as a catalyst to coordinate and invigorate activities
that will improve the academic achievement of Hispanic students in the public schools. Support
and create opportunities for Hispanic students to attend programs of higher education. Align state
efforts of public and private entities dealing with issues important to Hispanics.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
If enacted, Senate Bill 498 would impact relations of all units of state government.
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