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





SPONSOR: Aragon DATE TYPED: 02/18/01 HB
SHORT TITLE: UNM-Spain Academic Exchange Travel Costs SB 768
ANALYST: Gilbert


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 150.0 Non-Rec GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Relates to: Senate Bills 646, 649



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC Files

Commission for Higher Education (CHE)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Bill 768 appropriates $150.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico (UNM) to complete a joint project with Spain. Funding would be used by UNM's Center for Regional Studies for travel and production costs to produce a television program pertaining to the significant Spanish presence and influence in the history of the United States.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation of $150.0 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.



CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP



The following bills relate to Senate Bill 768:



Senate Bill 646 appropriates $150,000 from the general fund to the National Hispanic Cultural Center of the Office of Cultural Affairs during FY02 to fund the production of a video on interrelations between the United States and Spain, with an episode focusing on the role played by New Mexico.



Senate Bill 649 appropriates $50.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico (UNM) to cover costs related to travel for the UNM New Mexico-Spain academic exchange program participants.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



The following is provided for information only. It is not intended as a commentary on the merits of the program/project:



This funding request was not included in UNM's budget request to the UNM Board of Regents, and thus was not submitted by UNM to the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) for review.



The CHE did not recommend funding this program expansion.





LG/njw