44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR A DISTANCE EDUCATION PILOT PROJECT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

Section 1. DISTANCE EDUCATION PILOT PROJECT--REPORT.--

A. New Mexico state university, eastern New Mexico university and the Las Cruces and Roswell national guard shall participate in a distance education pilot project to provide distance education courses at the Roswell branch of eastern New Mexico university by connecting the campuses through the emergency access fiber-optic line of the national guard armories. The communications division of the general services department and other state agencies shall assist the pilot project as requested.

B. After the campuses are connected, New Mexico state university shall offer students at the Roswell branch of eastern New Mexico university enrollment in New Mexico state university's master's of social work program and may offer other courses agreed upon by the two universities.

C. The commission on higher education, the universities and the department of military affairs shall report to the legislative education study committee and other appropriate interim committees on the progress of the pilot project. Reports shall be made each year to the legislature and the governor. The final report of the pilot project, including findings and recommendations, shall be submitted to the legislature and the governor by November 15, 2001.

Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the commission on higher education for expenditure in fiscal years 1999 through 2001 to pay the costs associated with connecting the Roswell branch of eastern New Mexico university and New Mexico state university through the emergency access fiber-optic line of the Roswell and Las Cruces national guard armories and the costs associated with providing distance education courses. Money from this appropriation shall not be used for administration by the commission on higher education. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2001 shall revert to the general fund.

Section 3. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.