Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Campos

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/23/2007

HB

SHORT TITLE NMSU 4-H Outreach Program

SB 60

ANALYST McOlash

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$500.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Higher Education Department (HED)

New Mexico State University – College of Agriculture & Home Economics (NMSU-CAHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 60 appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico State University for expenditure in FY 2008 to pay for a 4-H outreach program.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General Fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 2008 shall revert to the

General Fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

New Mexico State University’s 4-H Program is involved in partnerships throughout New Mex-

ico with volunteers efforts. Last year 5,220 adult 4-H volunteers contributed over 260,000 hours

of volunteer service to the youth of our state, which if that service had been provided by paid

staff, would have cost $4,690,400.

Senate Bill 60 – Page

2

This proposal was submitted to the New Mexico Higher Education Department by NMSU but

was not included in the Department's funding recommendation for FY08.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The principal objectives of this request will focus on providing 4-H outreach programs to under-

served youth in eight selected counties impacting an estimated 5,000 students per year.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H Youth Development was

the recipient of four federal grants totaling $2,542,815 over a five year period beginning in 2001

to establish 4-H Outreach Agents in 14 counties in New Mexico. To date over 40,000 youth

have been involved in this program. These were three year grants and the funding is being com-

pleted this year. The purpose was to fulfill a commitment to reaching a diverse new youth audi-

ence with programs that develop life skills and supplement the local schools with curriculum that

provides experiential educational programs.

The Department of Higher Education has noted that, in 2005-2006, more than 74,000 of our

state’s youth were involved in life skill education through 4-H, making 4-H the largest youth de-

velopment program in New Mexico. 4-H provides educational opportunities through which

youth can learn information and develop the skills they need. The 4-H Youth Development Pro-

gram emphases 35 life skills including: leadership, responsible citizenship, critical thinking,

problem solving, decision-making, conflict resolution, respect for others, and communication

that directly contribute to the successful transition of young people into productive adulthood

.

BM/mt