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

SPONSOR Lujan, B.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/08

HB 294

SHORT TITLE Culturally Diverse New Mexico Film Crews

SB

ANALYST Earnest

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$150.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Economic Development Department (EDD)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 294 appropriates $150 thousand from the general fund to the Economic Development

Department to establish training and mentorship programs for culturally diverse New Mexico

filmmakers and crew members in writing, production, directing and technical affairs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $150 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 2009 shall

revert to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

EDD indicates that at least 100 New Mexico Hispanic/Latino and Native American participants

will be engaged in these programs, including internships and paid positions. Fellows will also be

chosen from the New Mexico higher education institutes partnering on this project. Dozens of

New Mexico vendors and service providers will also benefit economically from the presence of

these programs. This opportunity is also in alignment with a plan to create and expand upon

House Bill 294 – Page

2

Hispanic Hollywood in the State of New Mexico. HED reports that this appropriation would

expand the NM Filmmakers program to add hands-on training and mentorship.

The NM Filmmakers program was created in 2006 with an allocation of $500,000 from capital

outlay appropriation the film and media fund at the Department of Finance and Administration.

The Legislature has appropriated about $22 million in capital outlay to this fund. Most of the

allocations, made by the governor’s office, have gone to the state’s higher education institutions

for film programs, as well as the film technician training program (FTTP).

According to HED, the mentorship and training programs would be housed at the five FTTP

sites: Central New Mexico Community College, Santa Fe Community College, Eastern New

Mexico University -- Roswell, New Mexico State University and Northern New Mexico

Community College. Additionally, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands

University and the Institute of American Indian Arts are interested in developing programs to

train and mentor the program’s target population.

ALTERNATIVES

HED suggests that New Mexico Filmmakers could seek alternative private funding sources from

New Mexico vendors and businesses that work directly with and benefit from New

Mexico's film industry.

BE/mt