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
2/12/2007
HB
SHORT TITLE NMSU & Las Vegas Schools 4-H Programs
SB 973
ANALYST McOlash
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
$75.0
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates to SB 60, HB 388, HB 602, HB 640, HB 109, and SB 24.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Higher Education Department (HED)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 973 appropriates $75,000 from the General Fund to the Regents of NMSU for
expenditure in FY 2008 to support a joint 4-H program between NMSU and the Las Vegas City
Public Schools, involving science, technology, engineering and math.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $75,000 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.
pg_0002
Senate Bill 973 – Page
2
According to HED, the proposed funding will be allocated as follows:
4-H Agent (Salary & Benefits
$43,500
Apprentices Stipends (10 @ $2,100) $21,500
Program Operating Costs $10,000
$75,000
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
New Mexico State University’s 4-H Program is involved in partnerships throughout New
Mexico 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.
According to HED, the $75,000 appropriation will fund a science, technology, engineering, and
math joint program between NMSU's Cooperative Extension and the Las Vegas City School
District. The program will be integrated into the Memorial Middle School-NMSU Agricultural
Science Center and will provide training opportunities to apprentices (ages 14-18), who in turn
will conduct youth development programs in agriculture and forestry education and restoration
among middle school students. Las Vegas City School District and NMSU Cooperative
Extension have entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding to facilitate the development and
implementation of the 4-H Youth Development Program.
An NMSU analysis of SB 973 indicates the program will reach 400 middle school students
during the school year. During the summer, 10 to 15 high school students (apprentices) and 100
to 150 middle school students will be reached by the program.
The 4-H Youth Development Program will enable youth in Las Vegas School District to learn
about agro-ecology, forest ecology, earn life and work skills as well as receive a stipend, and
return restored agricultural and forest environments to their communities.
This request for $75,000 was not submitted by NMSU to HED for review, but is included in the
Department’s funding recommendation for FY08 as a continuance of FY07 recurring funding in
the amount of $110,000.
The NMSU Legislative Priorities for 2007-08 also includes a Cooperative Extension Service
request for $500,000 for a 4-H Youth Engagement Program to coordinate the efforts of the more
than 30 existing science, technology, engineering, and math educational outreach programs
sponsored by NMSU throughout New Mexico. The request is intended as start-up funding in
order to assist in building a stronger connection between K-12 teachers and students and
community college and university programs in these fields.
This proposal for $500,000 is not on the New Mexico Higher Education Department's funding
recommendation for FY08.
The NMSU priorities also include a $500,000 request, for the College of Education and the
College of Arts & Sciences, for the Alliance for the Preparation of Scientists, Engineers and
Math and Mentoring Programs that is not part of the HED recommendation.
pg_0003
Senate Bill 973 – Page
3
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
SB 60/HB 388 - appropriate $500,000 to NMSU for the 4-H Outreach Program.
HB 602 – appropriates $100,000 to NMSU for the 4-H Outreach Program.
HB 640 - appropriates $300,000 to NMSU to support 4-H programs in Lea County.
HB 109/SB 24 appropriate $500,000 to NMSU for coordination and expansion of the Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Program.
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
completed this year. The purpose was to fulfill a commitment to reaching a diverse new youth
audience 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
development 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
Program emphases 35 life skills including: leadership, responsible citizenship, critical thinking,
problem solving, decision-making, conflict resolution, respect for others, and communication
that directly contributes to the successful transition of young people into productive adulthood.
BM/nt