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 Morales
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
1/22/08
HB
SHORT TITLE WNMU Early Childhood Program
SB 79
ANALYST Haug
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY08
FY09
$126.2
Recurring
General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Higher Education Department (HED)
Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 79 appropriates $126.2 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of Western
New Mexico University for expenditure in FY 2009 and FY 2010 to fund early childhood
program needs.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $126.2 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2010 shall revert to the
general fund.
The HED states that a request was submitted by WNMU to the New Mexico Higher Education
Department for review to increase base funding by $126,200. The Department’s funding
recommendation for FY09 is a continuance of FY08 recurring funding of $588,200.
The HED’s evaluation table of FY09 Research and Public Service Projects provided to the LFC
classifies this project as a “supports state priorities" project. Reasons for this classification
decision are not provided. (LFC Report 07-20, Higher Education Department Review of Selected
pg_0002
Senate Bill 79 – Page
2
Research and Public Service Projects, January 12, 2008, Table 4, p76.)
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
The HED states that according to WNMU, this program is significant to fulfilling WNMU's
mission of meeting the diverse needs of students in order to support enrollment and retention.
Strategic partnerships and collaborations support and sustain the effectiveness of the program.
According to the HED, key program goals and objectives are to:
•
Continue offering affordable quality childcare to working families allowing increased
options for employment in the workforce
•
Increase ability to offer year round school age care
•
Continue program management of the Silver High teen Growing Tree Infant/Toddler
Program
•
Strengthen early intervention across all programs by implementing the Devereux Early
Childhood Assessment to measure program effectiveness and establish a base for future
research
•
Continue the expansion of the Family Counseling Center to better provide community
outreach and professional training
•
Strengthen the quality of early childhood education programs
•
Expand community services projects to include
o
Infant/toddler care and develop business/child care partnerships to oversee
program development
o
Two FTE for the lending libraries in Grant and Luna Counties
o
Continuation of the Disabilities Networking and Training Support Groups for
parents, children, and providers
o
Maintain professional teaching salary schedule for stability and to reduce turnover
CYFD states that CYFD has performance measures on childcare and early childhood
development. This bill is consistent with those measures, and with the Governor’s Policy
Initiative, Healthy New Mexico Task 2.6: Improve Access and Quality of Child Care
GH/mt