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

SPONSOR Arnold-Jones

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/28/08

HB 346

SHORT TITLE Albuquerque Preschool Program

SB

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$50.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 346 appropriates $50.0 to the local government division of the Department of Finance

and Administration to support preschool programs in an area in the city of Albuquerque (Carlisle

Boulevard, Comanche Street, San Mateo Boulevard, Menaul Avenue).

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of 2009 shall revert to the general

fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to PED, HB 346 will appropriate funding to support preschool programs in an area of

Albuquerque that is described as low income, with single parents and deprived economic norms.

The proposed funding will provide for early morning (6:30 am to 7:00 am) child care programs

for young children who come to their preschool during this time period. The funding will be

awarded through an RFP to private or community agencies (Boys & Girls Clubs and other

before- and after-school programs) providing child care services during the times mentioned

House Bill 346 – Page

2

above. Many preschool programs are not open for services at this time and so parents whose

work day begins early do not have child care services during this time period.

PED provides funding for PreK program services to eligible children who turn four years old

before September 1 but it does not include child care services. Therefore, there is no duplication

of services if this bill is enacted. However, there could be some duplication of services with

Children, Youth and Families Department’s funded early care and education programs that do

provide funding for before- and after-school child care programs and in-home child care.

“Almost 12 million children under age 5 in the United States—that’s 63 percent of the nation’s

children under 5—are in some type of child care arrangement every week. On average, the

children under age 5 of working mothers spend 36 hours a week in child care."

If HB 346 is enacted, it will support and align with the PED’s state goal to ensure that all

children are ready for kindergarten.

ALTERNATIVES

According to PED, Preschool programs in the area of the city of Albuquerque bounded by

Carlisle Boulevard, Comanche Street, San Mateo Boulevard, and Menaul Avenue can apply for

funding for before- and after-school child care from the Children, Youth and Families

Department during the upcoming funding cycle.

PME/bb