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

SPONSOR Garcia, Thomas A.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/23/07

HB 1212

SHORT TITLE Raton Learning Center

SB

ANALYST Williams

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$40.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 1212 appropriates $40 thousand from the general fund to the Higher Education

Department for the Raton learning center.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $40 thousand contained in this bill is a 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.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

There are no New Mexico higher education institutions within 100 miles of Raton. As reported

by HED, The Learning Center has partnered with New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU)

and Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) to bring higher education opportunities to Colfax

County. Since 1997 the center has served 2,667 students; 137 in the spring of 2006. As well,

The Learning Center has provided a place for eleven students from NMHU and SFCC to work

House Bill 1212 – Page

2

on their Student Teacher Capstone Projects.

A main feature of the center is a computer lab with internet access used for many of the classes

(instructional television). Community computer classes are also offered in the evenings and

afternoon as well as a Cyber Seniors class available to community elders.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

An agreement between the City of Raton and HED requires the city to provide a final program

evaluation report on or before June 30. This report summarizes the activities and status of the

program and the disposition of funds covered by the agreement.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

This project was not on the list of priority projects recommended by NMHED in its budget

recommendation.

For the past two fiscal years, HED has had an agreement with the City of Raton to provide flow

through monies for The Learning Center. This is the result of Laws 2005, Chapter 34, which

authorized an appropriation through NMHED for The Learning Center for FY06.

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