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

SPONSOR Begaye

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/22/07

HB HJM 63

SHORT TITLE NM as Science, Engineering, and Research Leader SB

ANALYST Guambaña

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 63 requests that New Mexico be a leader in preparing young researchers

to answer the global challenges in science, engineering, and mathematics.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

House Joint Memorial requests that:

•

The governor declare a “New Mexico Young Researchers Awareness Day";

•

The Public Education Department (PED) require all students in secondary schools to

conduct a scientific research project for presentation or review prior to graduation;

•

Expositions of student science projects no longer be identified as “science fairs" but as

“student science and engineering research challenges";

•

Every post-secondary educational institution establish a review process for secondary-

school student research projects and that the results be considered when admitting

students to those institutions;

•

All new teachers of science and mathematics be involved in evaluating student research

projects that are displayed in public;

•

PED and Higher Education Department (HED) collaborate to provide kindergarten

through twelfth grade teachers with the opportunity to conduct their own research for

their own professional growth;

House Joint Memorial 63 – Page

2

•

PED and HED work with the international science and engineering fair;

•

A public education and marketing program be established to help educate residents about

how work force education issues will affect New Mexicans and their standard of living

for generations to come;

•

Copies of this memorial are transmitted to PED, HED, and the governor.

House Joint Memorial 63 states that:

•

Fewer of New Mexico’s students are selecting careers in science, engineering, and

mathematics;

•

New Mexico is competing with countries that expend proportionately more money per

student to build their science and engineering communities; and

•

Research projects allow students to apply their knowledge and skills directly, a technique

that has been shown to improve their understanding of mathematical, scientific and

engineering concepts.

AG/nt