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

SPONSOR Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/21/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Bernalillo Youth Educational Programs

SB 187

ANALYST Propst

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$50.0

Non-recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 187, Making an Appropriation for Recreational and Educational Youth Programs in

Bernalillo County, appropriates $50 thousand from the general fund to DFA for the purpose of

recreational and educational youth programs in Bernalillo County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $50 thousand contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to the

general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the Department of Health, SB 187 proposes a recreation and educational program

focused on health and wellness for youth living in the Old Town section of Bernalillo County.

Data from Area Code 87104, where the Old Town section is located, indicates that 19.11% of the

population is aged 15 years or younger. Of the residents living in zip code 87104, 61.29%

identify as Hispanic/Latino (compared to 41.96% in all of Bernalillo County) and 4.9% of

residents identify as American Indian/Alaskan Native (compared to 4.62% in all of Bernalillo

Senate Bill 187 – Page 2

County). In addition 16.74% of Albuquerque residents with children under the age of 18 years

living in 87104 live under 185% of poverty guidelines compared to 8.51% in the Northwest

quadrant of Albuquerque, and 9.91% in all of Bernalillo County.

(http://www.health.state.nm.us/pdf/ABQ-Health-and-Social-Indicator-Map-Book-v6a-e.pdf)

A health and wellness program geared towards addressing obesity and lack of physical activity

could address one of the many problems facing New Mexico's children and adolescents. Obesity

is rapidly becoming the most common chronic medical condition impacting children and

adolescents. Overweight acquired during childhood and adolescence is likely to persist into

adulthood and increase the risk for a number of chronic and debilitating diseases. Regular

physical activity in children and adolescents improves strength and endurance, and helps control

weight. Low physical activity levels among today’s youth are directly related to the increasing

trends in obesity among the adolescent population.

In 2005, the New Mexico Public Education Department established the Wellness Policy Rule

requiring local school districts to establish a School Health Advisory Council to institute the

nutrition, physical activity and evaluation components based on the coordinated school health

approach. SB 187 would complement efforts of the coordinated school health approach: increase

physical activity, nutrition and health education and coordination of family, school and

community partnership.

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