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

SPONSOR Balderas

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/7/06

HB 457

SHORT TITLE NM Highlands Early Childhood Center

SB

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$30.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates,Relates to,Conflicts with, Companion to

Duplicates Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 457 appropriates $30,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) for the Early Childhood Center.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $30,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund. Information provided through the Higher Education Department (HED) in-

dicates that these funds would be used for general operating purposes.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This proposal was not included among the special program funding requests submitted by

NMHU to HED for review. Consequently, this proposal has not been included in the HED fiscal

year 2007 funding recommendations to the Legislature.

House Bill 457 – Page

2

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMHU currently operates the child development program. No significant additional administra-

tive impact is anticipated if this legislation is enacted.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The following additional background information was provided through HED:

The NMHU School of Education Child Development Center is an infant, toddler, and preschool

facility. The program strives to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children by offering

many creative and stimulating activities. The center serves children of NMHU students, staff,

faculty, and local community parents. It is fully accredited through the National Association for

the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and approved by the New Mexico Department of

Children, Youth, and Families (CYFD).

A new facility is needed to support all the daily activities of the center as well as NMHU stu-

dents working toward completion of degrees. The center has been housed in a temporary build-

ing that is in need of repair. Funding from HB 457 will cover general purposes and operating

costs for the center.

DKE/nt