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





SPONSOR: Rios DATE TYPED: 02/08/01 HB HJM-27
SHORT TITLE: Pardon "Billy the Kid" SB
ANALYST: Woodlee


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
NFI NFI NFI NFI NFI NFI



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Commission of Public Records

Tourism Department

Office of Cultural Affairs



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Joint Memorial 27 requests that the Governor pardon Henry McCarty, also known as William H. Bonney, also known as "Billy the Kid" in recognition of his descendants living and working in New Mexico.



Significant Issues



According to the Commission of Public Records, the 1880 Lincoln County Federal Census, Fort Sumner, listed household 286, William Bonney as "single." The Territory of New Mexico did not maintain civil birth records at that time and there are no public records in the State Archives that document descendants of Henry McCarty, or "Billy the Kid."



The Commission of Public Records indicates the following documented history of "Billy the Kid":



"To be delivered into the custody of the Sheriff of Lincoln County and be confined in prison until Friday the 13th day of May, 1881, and between the hours of 9 AM and 3 PM, William Bonney be taken from prison to some suitable and convenient place of execution, that William Bonney be hanged by the neck until his body be dead."



"We the jury unanimously find that William Bonney has been killed by a shot on the left breast near the region of the heart, the same having been fired with a gun in the hand of Patrick F. Garrett and our verdict is that the deed of Garrett was justifiable homicide and we are unanimous in the opinion that the gratitude of all the community is due to the said Garrett for his deed and is worth of being rewarded."



The Office of Cultural Affairs note that it is known that during the last few years of his life, until his death, "Billy the Kid" roamed the ranches, farms and sheep camps in the vicinity of Fort Sumner, New Mexico. During this time, it is possible that he "fathered several children," however, the historic record does not contain this information.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



There is no appropriation or significant fiscal implication associated with this joint memorial.



MW/njw