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

SPONSOR Griego

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/23/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Outfitter as Game Commission Member

SB 293

ANALYST Woods

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY08

FY09

FY10 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

0.0

3.0

1

3.0

6.0

Recurring

Game

Protection

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Game and Fish (DGF)

No Response Received From

Association of Counties (AC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 293 seeks to create a new member of the State Game Commission, expanding the

number of commissioners from seven to eight. The legislation further requires that one of the

eight positions: “shall be a New Mexico resident outfitter or guide…" The expansion position

will be appointed as a third “at large" position and not specifically tied to a specific geographic

region.

There is no appropriation attached to this legislation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

DGF anticipates that expanding the number of State Game Commissioners will increase the

amount the agency expends for per diem and mileage reimbursements provided to

Commissioners for participation in regularly scheduled meetings of the Commission and for

travel to other functions related to their appointments.

1

Cost projections are included in the agency response. See Fiscal Implications section for methodology.

Senate Bill 293 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DGF notes that the legislation would increase the total number of Commission members to eight,

an even number, thus increasing the potential for deadlocked issues, given the opportunity for tie

votes. The current composition of a seven-member Commission precludes this outcome, at least

when all members are present and voting.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DGF indicates that, if this bill is enacted, the administrative workload associated with support of

the State Game Commission would increase. The proportional increase would be associated

with meeting and travel coordination and preparation of materials for eight members rather than

seven.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DGF concludes that, “…neither current statutes, nor the language contemplated in this bill,

mandates that any commissioner specifically represent the interests of hunters and anglers.

Providing a similar requirement could be considered appropriate given that there are around

100,000 hunters, 250,000 anglers and approximately 1,600 guides and outfitters in New

Mexico."

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The composition of the Commission will remain as it is currently defined in statute.

BFW/jp