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

SPONSOR P. Campos

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/08

HB

SHORT TITLE NMSU Travel To Agricultural Education Events

SB 206

ANALYST Haug

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$150.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 206 appropriates $150.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico State University to pay for student travel expenses to national and regional agricultural

secondary education events.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $150.0 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.

The HED states that this request was not submitted by NMSU to the New Mexico Higher

Education Department for review and is not included in the Department's funding

recommendation for FY09.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The PED states that Agriculture education programs at the secondary level offer opportunities to

Senate Bill 206 – Page

2

improve leadership and academic skills through the State and National Future Farmers of

America (FFA) Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO). State and national

competitions and conferences require both in-state and out-of-state travel for students and

sponsors/teachers. Students provide out-of-pocket annual membership dues and are often unable

to attend competitive events or conferences sponsored by the CTSO on a yearly basis

(approximately $837 each). The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) provides a

minimal amount of funding ($1,500), earmarked for schools to use for purchase of state-award

plaques.

The PED notes further that the FFA Association is the oldest career and technology student

organization. Organized in 1928, the FFA is an integral part of the program of agricultural

education in the public schools. FFA strengthens instruction for students of agricultural

education by providing a laboratory for practical training in agriculture, leadership, cooperation,

and citizenship. Through active participation in the FFA, members learn by taking part in and

conducting meetings, speaking in public, participating in events based on occupational skills,

earning awards and recognition, and becoming involved in cooperative efforts and community

improvement. As new technologies and new job opportunities emerge, so will the need for well-

trained and educated people.

The HED states that according to NMSU, this appropriation will help alleviate the funding

burden now carried by local high school programs and individual students. The average annual

expenses for national FFA competition per school are now in excess of $6,000.

GH/nt