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| SPONSOR: | Sanchez, M | DATE TYPED: | 02/23/01 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Wild Horse Research | SB | 726 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Gilbert | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY01 | FY02 | FY01 | FY02 | ||
| $ 198.0 | Non-Recurring | General Fund | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
NMSU Department of Agriculture (NMDA)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 726 appropriates $198.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University (NMSU) to conduct research on wild horses.
Significant Issues
Implementing this bill would enable the NMSU Department of Agriculture (NMDA) to issue a professional services contract for wild horse preservation measures (including round-ups and DNA testing) in the vicinity of Valencia and Torrance counties.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $198.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY02 shall revert to the general fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The NMDA will enter into contracts with organizations capable of providing round-ups, preservation measures, and DNA testing of wild horses.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to the NMDA, The New Mexican Horse Project (a non-profit organization), has been rounding-up wild horses in the Valencia and Torrance county areas. These horses have been DNA tested with the results verifying that they are direct descendants of the first horses reintroduced into North America. The project now needs to locate areas where wild horses live, preserve the species, conduct further DNA testing, and conduct additional round-ups of wild horses in other parts of New Mexico. This breed has been designated by the University of Kentucky as the "New Mexican Breed of Horse" because its genetic make-up is so unique. This appropriation will allow the project to continue.
The following is provided for information only. It is not intended as a commentary on the merits of the program/project:
This project was not included in NMSU's budget request to the NMSU Board of Regents, and thus was not submitted by NMSU to the CHE for review. The CHE did not recommend funding this project.
LG/ar