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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Rawson

 

DATE TYPED:

02/19/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Legislature to Set Fees for State Parks

 

SB

168

 

 

ANALYST:

Valenzuela

 

 

REVENUE

 

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

 

See Narrative

Recurring

OSF

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

 

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Department of Game and Fish (DGF)

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 168 would add a new section to the statutes governing state parks (Chapter 16, Article 2, NMSA 1978) that would require the Legislature, rather than an executive agency, to approve and set forth in statute the fee schedule for state parks. The bill would establish in statute the fee schedule in existence as of April 1, 2002.

 

    Significant Issues

 

  • The graphic below details the visitation and revenue collected for state parks over the past three fiscal years. Visitation has decreased by 15.4 percent while revenue has dropped by 8.2 percent. The revenue impact has not been as significant because of the fee increase implemented in 1999.

 

 

EMNRD reports that these revenues represent just over 25 percent of its self-generated revenues and just under 20 percent of its annual operating budget.

 

  • EMNRD reports that SB 168 conflicts with Section 16-2-7, which requires the EMNRD secretary to adopt rules so that state parks are “as nearly self-supporting as possible”.

 

  • There is some precedent in law for such an action.  For example, the Department of Game and Fish is required to seek legislative approval for a revision to its fee structure, which is set forth in statute.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Senate Bill 168 does not contain an appropriation. Its enactment would not have an immediate fiscal impact on the State Parks Division, but could have a future impact.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

Because SB 168 adopts the current fee schedule into statute, there would not be an administrative impact to the State Parks Division.

 

MFV/njw