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

SPONSOR Pinto

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/05/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Tribal Cooperative Extension Services

SB 692

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$1,200.0

Recurring

General fund

Duplicates HB 96

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 692 appropriates $1.2 million from the general fund to New Mexico State University

for the start-up costs of five proposed tribal cooperative extension service centers in tribal

communities to provide a base for intercultural youth programs, health-based programs and

natural resource and agricultural information services that are currently not available in existing

tribal communities.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $1.2 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

general fund.

The appropriation request was not in the Executive Budget Recommendation for FY08.

IAD estimates start-up costs to develop the five extension centers to be $1.87 million and the

appropriation request of $1.2 million will cover only a portion of this cost. NMSU cooperative

Senate Bill 692 – Page

2

extension has secured office space and additional operations support from tribal partners.

Additional support has also been obtained from federal contract and grants and private

foundation funding.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMSU wishes to expand its cooperative extension community-based education programs to

better serve all 22 Native American communities in New Mexico. The goal of the pueblo and

tribal nations, and supporting agencies and organizations is to develop and implement permanent

cooperative extension service centers in Native American communities. The centers will be

housed in existing tribal schools and cultural centers and will partner with public schools and

tribal colleges to establish sustainable school and community-based education programs, and

natural resources and agriculture information services that are limited or currently not provided

in these communities.

The following five (5) tribal extension center locations have been identified and commitments

have been secured with Santa Ana Pueblo for Southern Pueblos, San Juan Pueblo for Eight

Northern Pueblos, Crownpoint for East Navajo Chapters, Shiprock for Central and Western

Navajo Chapters and Laguna and Acoma Pueblos.

Goals for the centers’ staff will be to develop programs:

•

For youth that include leadership, agriculture and home economic skills, such as

culturally appropriate 4-H programs for kindergarten through high school youth.

•

Provide practical information for all ages about health and nutrition, such as healthy food

choices, food preparation, and diabetes and health programs.

•

Designed to involve youth in their tribal culture and language.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

IAD reports that seventy-nine percent (79%) of Native American college freshmen in New

Mexico drop out during their first year. SB 692 could increase the number of Native American

New Mexico students served and the rate of higher education completed by Native American

students by offering local community support through extension services and programs.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

In not enacting SB 692, IAD believes the opportunity for local support for family wellness and

stability in tribal communities, as well as potential economic growth through agriculture and

natural resource development in niche markets, agro-tourism, and small business development

may be lost.

AHO/nt