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

SPONSOR Campos

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/15/07

HB

SHORT TITLE Youth Involvement in Disaster Issues

SB 822

ANALYST Lucero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$300.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 822 appropriates three hundred thousand ($300,000) from the general fund to

Children, Youth and Families Department for expenditure in fiscal year 2008 for a rapid

response conservation corps pilot project to support New Mexico youth involvement in

environmental disaster issues.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of three hundred thousand ($300,000) contained in this bill is a recurring

expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of

fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund. The bill declares an emergency for the public

peace, health and safety.

The appropriation is not part of the Children Youth and Families Department budget request and

is not included in the Executive recommendation.

Senate Bill 822 – Page

2

The funding may leverage Corporation for National and Community Service federal funding to

communities and projects where Rapid Response Corps exist.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This bill is designed to create a pilot project for a conservation corps to respond quickly to

environmental disaster issues. The bill does not define what “environmental disaster issues" are.

Therefore, CYFD would need to exercise discretion in funding projects from the appropriation.

Depending on the type of environmental disaster issue involved, mechanical equipment may be

required, such as use of chain saws. In those instances, only those 18 years or older would be

eligible to participate as a member of a conservation corps rapid response team. Consequently,

the makeup of conservation corps response teams will be dictated by the type of disaster and

equipment needed to respond since child labor laws prohibit those below 16 from being around

mechanical equipment and restrict the type of mechanized activities those 16 and 17 years of age

can perform. CYFD would need to take these factors into consideration in establishing the

makeup of response teams under the pilot project.

Environmental disasters occur all over the State. If the rapid response conservation corps is

intended to respond statewide, an amount greater than $300,000 may be needed to outfit and

train the crews. To be away from their home base overnight, crews will need; food, tents,

sleeping bags, large storage containers, packs, transportation, their own equipment specific to the

environmental disaster and other items needed to keep a rapid response team out, possibly for

days at a time. Again, CYFD would need to take these factors into consideration in establishing

the scope of the pilot project.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

None identified for CYFD. The Rapid Response Corps supports multiple Children’s Cabinet

focus areas.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

If passed, the bill will have a slight administrative impact on Children, Youth and Families

Department that the bill does not address.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

None identified

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The bill declares an emergency which makes the funds available immediately after being signed;

however, the bill does not make provisions for the appropriation to be expended in Fiscal Year

07.

The bill does not define an age group for the children. It is also unclear if the children would

volunteer their time or if they would receive compensation.

Senate Bill 822 – Page

3

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

AmeriCorps (which is administered by CYFD) is a program for youth. AmeriCorps helped Gulf

Coast communities recover from the devastating 2005 hurricanes. 75 AmeriCorps members

helped the Housing Authority of Meridian, Miss., to help rebuild homes; 150 members helped

the Trinity Christian Community in New Orleans to do case management and rebuilding, and 96

AmeriCorps members helped provide preparedness training for natural disasters, terrorist attacks,

and fire safety through local American Red Cross chapters across the county.

ALTERNATIVES

•

The New Mexico National Guard has a youth program called Youth ChalleNGe. The

program’s mission is to provide a structured environment where participants learn

discipline, develop self-esteem, develop an understanding of the importance of giving

back to the community, become physically fit and the ability to earn a high school degree

(and possible credit hours towards higher education).

•

The National Guard is the host agency and has quick access to supplies, equipment,

transportation and other items needed to support crews away from their home base.

•

Youth ChalleNGe has been in existence since 2001 and could incorporate the rapid

response environmental disaster conservation corps pilot program.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Status Quo

DL/csd