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

SPONSOR Martinez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/10/06 HB 837

SHORT TITLE

NAVAJO NATION HEAD START & SENIOR

CENTERS

SB

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$25.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

Public Education Department (PED)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 837 appropriates $25 thousand from the general fund to the Indian Affairs

Department for the purpose of purchasing reading materials for head Start and senior citizen

centers at the Becenti Chapter of the Navajo Nation in McKinley County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $25 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY07 shall revert to

the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Indian Affairs Department notes:

The Becenti Chapter of the Navajo Nation is located in the northcentral part of McKinley

House Bill 837 – Page 2

County, and is mostly a rural area. The Chapter has a low population density of 1.16

people per square mile. The core of the Chapter population is located near the 165.25

acre Chapter compound where the Navajo Housing Authority has built 65 housing units.

(retrieved from http://becenti.nndes.org/)

According to Becenti Chapter officials, the Headstart program is located in the

“Headstart and Senior Citizens Center.” A portion of the funding requested is for the

Literacy Program for the Headstart Center. The significance of language experiences and

competence prior to formal schooling is vital to the continued success of students.

The budget proposed by the Chapter includes: $15,000.00 for computer equipment and

literacy material; and an additional $10,000.00 for heating fuel for share costs with the

Senior Citizens program. The heating fuel is for the multi purpose building during times

of extreme cold weather conditions. Chapter officials report that Head Start children

have to wear coats throughout the day because the building cannot provide adequate

heating for the Head Start and senior citizen’s center.

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which

serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-

focused programs and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young

children in low-income families. The Head Start program has a long tradition of

delivering comprehensive and high quality services designed to foster healthy

development in low-income children. Head Start grantee and delegate agencies provide a

range of individualized services in the areas of education and early childhood

development; medical, dental, and mental health; nutrition; and parent involvement. In

addition, the entire range of Head Start services is responsive and appropriate to each

child's and family's developmental, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage and

experience. (Retrieved from www. http://www.nnheadstart.org)

MW/mt