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

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

SPONSOR Nava

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

3/09/2007

HB

SHORT TITLE Increase School Student Outdoor Participation

SJM 66

ANALYST Schuss

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$15.0*

$15.0*

Non-

Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

*EMNRD estimate

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 66 requests a study to determine ways to increase the participation of

public school students outdoors on public lands.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

EMNRD reports that no appropriation accompanies SJM 66 and no funds are allocated in HB 2

presently to complete the study requested. The State Parks Division (SPD) estimates that it

would require approximately $15,000 in staff time and related expenses to prepare the study.

While SJM 66 would require SPD resources to prepare the study requested, programs that are

successful in increasing the participation of students outdoors on public lands also have the

potential to attract more visitors to state parks and build long-term park visitor loyalty, thereby

increasing revenue.

Other departments associated with the task force are also likely to incur some additional cost.

Senate Joint Memorial 66 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Senate Joint Memorial 66 states that New Mexico has a variety of exceptional public lands that

provide quality outdoor learning environments and many children do not have access to public

lands. Only 5 percent of students in kindergarten through grade twelve have access to public

lands on a regular basis. Obesity is on the rise in New Mexico, especially in young children and

outdoor experiences encourage physical activity, which is a key in preventing obesity.

There is a need for hands-on teaching materials for children who begin to access the outdoors

through their experiences in the public schools and there is a need for transportation for children

who want to experience outdoor education programs. Coordination among state agencies will be

required to increase the use of public lands by students.

A partnership between the State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources

Department and the Public Education Department would have enormous potential to inspire

education of New Mexico’s children, benefit state parks and better serve the state.

The legislature of the State of New Mexico requests that the State Parks Division of the Energy,

Minerals and Natural Resources Department convene a task force composed of representatives of

the Department of Game and Fish, the Public Education Department, the National Park Service,

the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the New Mexico Retail Association to plan for

ways to maximize student use of the state’s precious public lands. SJM 66 also requests that the

task force report its conclusions to the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee by

November 2007 on effective ways to increase student participation in outdoor education

programs, on how much state funding will be required for educational materials development,

transportation and other expenses and on specific steps the Legislature can take in the prevention

of obesity of public school students.

According to PED, in 2005, the Legislature passed SJM 24, The New Mexico Outdoor Education

Initiative: Improve Education and State Parks Relationship, requesting the PED and State Parks

Division to prepare a study outlining opportunities for increased partnerships between them. The

result is a partnership between the Division and PED to use the unique resources provided by the

state’s parks for improved and expanded outdoor education programs. The report produced

through this partnership, “Making New Mexico Schools Work Outdoors," cites recent research

indicating outdoor, interactive education can increase student test scores, reduce discipline

problems, build citizenry skills and resource stewardship ethics and increase teacher job

satisfaction.

EMNRD states that while there is strong interest in the “Outdoor Classroom" concept, which has

been endorsed by the LESC, and a clear connection between outdoor activity and reducing

childhood obesity, there are questions on how expanded statewide programs for school children

in these areas might be funded. Some 20 different states and municipalities around the country

are either beginning or expanding such programs. The study requested by SJM 66 could

examine a wide variety of options for legislators and policy makers to consider.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

PED notes that participation in this task force could impact the public school performance

measures relating to the percent of stakeholders who rate their involvement with public schools

Senate Joint Memorial 66 – Page

3

as positive and the percent of elementary and middle school students who achieve at the level of

proficient or above on the standards-based assessment in mathematics and language arts. It also

supports the Math and Science Bureau’s goal to improve student achievement in science.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to HB 359, HB 220/SB552, HB 1232

BS/csd