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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Stewart
DATE TYPED 1/24/2005 HB 31
SHORT TITLE Game Protection Fund Appropriations
SB
ANALYST Aguilar
APPROPRIATION
Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY05
FY06
FY05
FY06
See Narrative
Nonrecurring Game Protection
Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Department of Game and fish (DGF)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 31 reverses an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars to the state engineer
from the game protection fund. The appropriation was made under Item 75 of Section 5 of
Chapter 114 of Laws 2004.
Significant Issues
The subject appropriation was made in the final days of the 2004 legislative session to support
operations in the office of the State Engineer. The appropriation was made without consulting
the Department of Game and Fish and stands in violation of Section 17-1-28 NMSA 1978. This
statute is the assent by the state of New Mexico to the provisions of the federal Sport Fish and
Wildlife Restoration Acts. Those provisions include a requirement that money from the game
protection fund shall not be expended for any purposes other than the administration of the De-
partment of Game and Fish. Failure to abide by that condition precludes the Department of
Game and Fish from receiving grants from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Acts, which
provide over $9 million in federal funds annually.