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

SPONSOR Taylor

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/9/06

HB

SHORT TITLE UNM Center for Regional Studies

SB 554

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$150.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB 382, SFCS/SB415 and SB 681

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 554 appropriates $150,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the Uni-

versity of New Mexico (UNM) to provide undergraduate and graduate scholarships, fellowships

and internships; support faculty research and encourage faculty recruitment; produce film docu-

mentaries and collaborative projects about New Mexico and the United States-Mexico border-

lands; and increase library collections and archives.

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. These funds would augment a recurring General Appropriation Act appro-

priation of approximately $1.5 million for the Southwest Research Center

Senate Bill 554 – Page

2

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.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

UNM currently provides administrative support for this program. No additional impact is antici-

pated.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

There are five special appropriation bills related to the Center for Regional Studies.

•

Senate Bill 681 appropriates $1,000,000 to the endowment fund at the Regional Studies

Program to provide for professorships.

•

Senate Bill 678 appropriates $250,000 for general support to the Regional Studies Pro-

gram.

•

Senate Bill 383 appropriates $250,000 for general support to the Southwest Regional

Studies Program (the Higher Education Department notes that the Southwest Regional

Studies Program is the same as the New Mexico Center for Regional Studies).

•

Senate Bill 382 appropriates $150,000 for the same purpose as Senate Bill 554 (this bill).

•

Senate Bill 415/SFCS appropriates $75,000 for the same purpose as Senate Bill 382, and

$50,000 for professorships at the Regional Studies Program.

DKE/nt