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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Senate Bill 78, Duplicates SB62

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Public Education (SDE)

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 421 appropriates $300.0 to SDE to plan and develop a school-district-owned teacher housing program in the Santa Fe Public School District.

Significant Issues

SDE indicates that in a 1998 report prepared by Santa Fe Public Schools, using data collected by the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association (ACCRA), Santa Fe has the second highest cost of living among the nine cities for which it gathers data. The report concludes that teachers in Los Alamos and Santa Fe have a more difficult time finding affordable housing than teachers in other areas of the state.

The 1998 Legislature appropriated $75.0 to SDE to contract for an independent study to establish a database that measures housing costs and other factors affecting the cost of living, recruitment and retention in all school districts. These issues are currently under study and both HB3 and SB3 contain an appropriation of $70.0 to continue the study. The cost of living task force will plan and present recommendations to the 2000 Legislature.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 421 appropriates $300.0 to SDE from the general fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2000. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

According to SDE, the Santa Fe Public School District would administer and manage the program and may require additional FTE.

RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 421 relates to Senate Bill 78 which appropriates $270.0 to State Department of Public Education to contract for the completion of an independent study and to establish a database that measures housing costs, cost-of-living factors and other factors that affect the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers in all 89 school districts.

House Bill 421 duplicates Senate Bill 62.

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