Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Vigil

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-30-08

HB 574

SHORT TITLE Luna College Basketball Program

SB

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 573

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

Luna Community College (LCC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 574 appropriates $100.0 from the general fund to the Higher Education Department

to fund the Rough Riders Baseball Program at Luna Community College.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100.0 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.

A request was submitted by Luna Community College in the amount of $129,700 to the New

Mexico Higher Education Department for review. The Department’s funding recommendation

for FY09 is a continuance of FY08 recurring funding in the amount of $10,000.

The HED’s evaluation table of FY09 Research and Public Service Projects provided to the LFC

classifies this project as a “does not fit within HED priorities for Higher Education" project.

House Bill 574 – Page

2

Reasons for this classification decision are not provided. (LFC Report 07-20, Higher Education

Department Review of Selected Research and Public Service Projects, January 12, 2008, Table

4, p73.)

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

LCC states that this is the third community college in NM to provide baseball athletics for NM

high schools. This is the only community college in the northern part of the state to provide

baseball in the north. Therefore it provides opportunities for high school graduates to play junior

college baseball and stay within the state of NM.

According to the HED:

Luna Community College began its athletic department in 2006. Rough Riders is the

name of the LCC baseball team. The team plays 57 games in the spring and 20 games in

the fall. Roughly a quarter of the games played are outside of the state in various cities in

Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. Ninety-four percent of the players on the team are from

New Mexico. The Rough Rider baseball team does not belong to a particular conference,

they are considered independent.

Funds will be used for:

•

the coaching staff,

•

recruitment,

•

umpires,

•

equipment (gloves, bats, uniforms, ice packs, tape)

•

travel (hotels, buses, meals)

•

drug tests,

•

field improvements,

•

coaching clinics

RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 574 is related to HB 573 which appropriates $145,000 to the Luna Community

College softball program.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The Bill Locator Title references the basketball team. The bill text references the baseball team.

GH/jp