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

SPONSOR Komadina

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Promote Wild Horse Tourism

SB 368

ANALYST Earnest

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$80.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

NM Tourism Department (NMTD)

Department of Game and Fish (DOGF)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 368 appropriates $80 thousand from the general fund to the Tourism Department to

promote wild horse tourism.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $80 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall

revert to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMTD notes that this appropriation would allow the agency to expand upon its mission of

marketing New Mexico as an enchanting destination to the world. NMTD supports any initiative

that encourages visitation to the state.

Senate Bill 368 – Page

2

According to the Department of Game and Fish, depending on where the wild horse herds are

located, the type of activity, and the time of year an activity is to take place, care should be taken

that the associated tourism activity is not contrary to management of native wildlife species

found in the area. For example, an activity that occurs in late spring or early summer may cause

undue stress to calving or fawning ungulate species. Game and Fish can provide input to

Tourism as activities are planned.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

If this initiative increases tourism to the state, it will positively affect three key performance

measures for NMTD—domestic tourism market share, the percent increase in lodger’s tax, and

the economic impact of tourism in the state of New Mexico.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

None identified.

BE/nt