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

SPONSOR Campos

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/6/07

HB 840

SHORT TITLE Statewide Info & Database Communications

SB

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$2,000.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

NA Unknown Unknown Unknown Recurring State

and/or

Local

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

New Mexico Municipal League (NMML)

No Response Received From

Department of Finance Administration (DFA)

Association of Counties (AC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 840 appropriates $2,000.0 from the general fund to the Department of Public Safety

for the Office of Homeland Security to develop a statewide information management database

and integrated communications system to address the four phases of emergency management.

The program is to provide web access for local jurisdictions, support New Mexico’s

implementation of the national incident action plan, provide exercise support and present forms,

geographic information systems and resource management that enable the projection of

resources needed during an incident.

House Bill 840 – Page

2

Also, the program is to provide a database that captures and supports after-action reporting, post-

incident audits and reimbursement.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $2,000.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall

revert to the general fund.

DPS states currently many local jurisdictions do not have the infrastructure or connectivity to

access this type of information. DPS notes either the local law enforcement agency or state

would have to cover the costs associated with circuit upgrades and infrastructure improvements.

DPS reports that circuit upgrades will be a recurring expense.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NM Municipal League states the proposed legislation seeks to address important shortcomings in

current emergency management communications and protocol. NM Municipal League notes the

programs outlined in the proposed legislation are important to systematic and effective

emergency management operations.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DPS states a project of this magnitude may require additional personnel, which will require

contractors or full-time-equivalent positions. DPS notes if the Emergency Management and

Homeland Security Support Program remains within the department, the information technology

division will undertake this project.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

The proposed legislation has a relationship to House Bill 227, which proposes the creation of the

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department Act that would establish a

department that is not a cabinet department. The proposed legislation would remove the

Emergency Management and the Homeland Security Support Program from DPS and the Office

of Homeland Security from the Governor’s Office to create a separate Homeland Security and

Emergency Management Department.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

If House Bill 227 is enacted, it is unclear whether the new department would have sufficient

information technology expertise to develop a statewide information management database and

integrated communications system.

RPG/nt