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

SPONSOR Foley

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/29/08

HB 480

SHORT TITLE National Guard Border Protection

SB

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$30,000.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

No Responses Received From

Department of Military Affairs

Association of Counties

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 480 appropriates $30,000.0 from the general fund to the Department of Military

Affairs for the purpose of supporting National Guard patrol and protection of New Mexico’s

southern borders.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $30,000.0 contained in this bill is a non-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.

HSEMD states the proposed legislation have no foreseen fiscal impact on the department.

House Bill 480 – Page

2

NMCD states assuming that the flow of illegal drugs into New Mexico would dissipate as a

result of the proposed legislation, it could lead to a reduction of drug-related crimes. This

reduction in drug-related crimes and convictions could lead to minimal decrease in the

department’s prison population and probation/parole caseloads.

Based on FY06 actual expenditures, the average annual cost to incarcerate an individual in a

NMCD correctional facility is $31,239, and the average annual cost of probation and

parole/community corrections client is $1,343.

DPS states the proposed legislation could have a minor fiscal impact on the department. With

National Guard members patrolling the border, at some point they will find criminal activity in

which they don’t have the authority to enforce. The National Guard members will most likely

have to turn the investigation over to the Department of Public Safety. DPS states how large of a

fiscal impact will depend on the number of additional cases that are generated.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMCD notes any decrease in the availability of illegal drugs may lead to less crime, and thus to

fewer convictions.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 480 has a relationship to Senate Memorial 7.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

In the 2007 legislative session, the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Support

Program of the Department of Public Safety was appropriated $1 million in recurring general

fund revenue for border security. The new Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Department now oversees this funding. The funding is for use by counties and select

municipalities in the border region to help hire and equip law enforcement officers. The county

sheriffs and police departments may purchase vehicles and hire officers using this money. The

purchase of vehicles includes everything from the vehicle itself to radios, lights, etc. The

personnel money can pay for salaries (including the cost of benefits), uniforms and basic

equipment (other than firearms). The funding is to help the communities in providing enhanced

public safety to alleviate the increased lawlessness in the border region resulting from unsecured

borders.

RPG/bb