HOUSE BILL 233

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

D. Wonda Johnson

AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A STUDY OF THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS NEEDED TO BUILD A WORKFORCE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR URANIUM MINE SITE CLEANUP IN NEW MEXICO.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION.--

          A. Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the board of regents of the university of New Mexico for expenditure in fiscal year 2020 for the bureau of business and economic research to conduct the activities described in Subsection B of this section; provided that expenses charged by the university to administer the appropriation may not exceed five percent of the funds expended. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2020 shall revert to the general fund.

          B. The appropriation referred to in Subsection A of this section is for the bureau of business and economic research to:

                (1) analyze the possible economic effects on the state and local communities associated with uranium mine site cleanup projects in New Mexico;

                (2) assess the capacity, in terms of training and experience, of the existing New Mexico labor force to meet the demand for cleanup of uranium mining sites in the state;

                (3) analyze the training and education courses and programs that would be needed, if any, for New Mexico to internally provide a sufficient workforce for uranium mine site cleanup in the state; and

                (4) present a report of its findings and recommendations to the appropriate interim legislative committee prior to that committee's last meeting in 2019.

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