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

SPONSOR Salazar

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED 02/04/08 HB 545

SHORT TITLE Taos Schools Water Conservation Education

SB

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$40.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY08 FY09 FY10 3 Year

Total

Cost

Recurring or

Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

TOTAL $

$2.6 $

$2.6

Non-Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates exactly HB 513, HB 515, and HB 559.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 545 appropriates $40.0 to the Public Education Department (PED) for water

conservation education in Taos Public Schools.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $40.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to the general

fund.

House Bill 545 – Page

2

The PED would have to research available providers and staff would be required to develop a

contract for this initiative. Time required for writing, approving, and finalizing a contract totals

60 hours for one Ed Admin A equivalent @ $25.50 plus benefits ($1,989); 20 hours for one Exec

Sec & Adm Asst A @ $16.89 plus benefits ($439.14); and 10 hours for Financial Spec O @

$15.11 plus benefits ($196.43) to set up accounts and process documentation. Total cost:

$2,624.57.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to PED, there are several different entities which offer water conservation education

programs to youth throughout New Mexico. Each of them emphasizes the importance of

building a strong connection between children, their natural environment, and their cultural

heritage (e.g., Amigos Bravos, 2008; Rivers and Birds, 2008).

Water conservation education projects can align with NM Science Content Standards,

Benchmarks, and Performance Standards, especially those that address the “complex

relationships between living things and their environment" (NM State Department of Education,

2003).

In a 2003 position paper, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) expressed strong

support for inclusion of environmental education in the school curriculum because “student

knowledge of environmental concepts establishes a foundation for their future understandings

and actions as citizens." NSTA further states, “Environmental education programs should foster

observation, investigation, experimentation, and innovation…and encourage active learning"

(NSTA, 2003).

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

This bill exactly duplicates HB 513, HB 515, and HB559.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

According to PED, because of the variety of water and watershed conservation programs

available, some of which are offered on a national scale, parameters would have to be developed

to adequately define the program that will meet the needs of Taos Public Schools. It is not clear

whether this allocation would support a supplemental program for all students, if it is intended to

be incorporated into the school district’s curriculum, or if it will be offered in some other way.

PME/bb