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

SPONSOR Rodella

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/29/08

HB 495

SHORT TITLE Wildlife Education & Rehab Programs

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

200.0

Non-Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Game and Fish (DGF)

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis

House Bill 495 seeks to appropriate $200,000 from the general fund to the Department of Game

and Fish for expenditure in fiscal year 2009 for wildlife education programs and wildlife

rehabilitation. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year

2009 shall revert to the general fund.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

DGF indicates that the appropriation would expand wildlife education efforts currently being

offered by the Department of Game and Fish; however that it is unclear from the bill how much

of the funding is to be devoted to education and how much to rehabilitation. DGF adds that, due

to the non-recurring nature of the funding, it could be used for goods and services, but not for

funding personnel.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DGF notes that several wildlife education programs are included in the department’s strategic

plan, and a portion of the funding could improve the effectiveness of these existing programs, or

create new initiatives.

House Bill 495 – Page

2

TECHNICAL ISSUES

DGF advises that wildlife education could continue under existing programs at an expanded

level. Further, that the Department does not directly engage in wildlife rehabilitation as it lacks

the physical facilities and the technical and professional expertise necessary to conduct this

specialized activity. The appropriation could be used to expand funding of existing rehabilitation

facilities such as the Wildlife Center in Espanola, and Wildlife Rescue, Inc., in Albuquerque.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Wildlife education and rehabilitation efforts will continue at current levels.

AMENDMENTS

DGF states, “Given that the Department lacks the internal capacity to conduct wildlife

rehabilitation, the bill could be amended to stipulate that the Department may contract for such

services."

BFW/bb