HOUSE BILL 62

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Meredith A. Dixon and Susan K. Herrera and Christine Chandler and Kristina Ortez and Martin Hickey

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT; CREATING THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES COUNCIL; PROVIDING POWERS AND DUTIES; CREATING A FUND TO ASSIST POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS WITH MATCH REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT FUNDING; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] GRANT OPPORTUNITIES COUNCIL.--

          A. The "grant opportunities council" is created and is administratively attached to the department of finance and administration. The council consists of:

                (1) the director of the local government division of the department of finance and administration or the director's designee; and

                (2) the following members appointed by the governor:

                     (a) three county representatives, one each from a small-, medium- and large-population county;

                     (b) three municipal representatives, one each from a small-, medium- and large-population municipality;

                     (c) three representatives of other political subdivisions of the state;

                     (d) two grant professionals who have experience writing and administering grants;

                     (e) one staff member from a council of governments who has experience writing or administering grants; and

                     (f) one local staff member of a member of the New Mexico congressional delegation.

          B. The governor shall invite the state director of rural development and the director of the New Mexico field office of the rural utilities service of the United States department of agriculture and other federal representatives in New Mexico to participate in the activities of the grant opportunities council.

          C. Members appointed by the governor shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. Members who are not paid with public funds are entitled to per diem and mileage as provided for state employees in the Per Diem and Mileage Act but shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          D. The grant opportunities council shall elect a chair and vice chair. The department of finance and administration shall provide staff assistance for the council. The council shall meet regularly at the call of the chair.

          E. The grant opportunities council shall advise the department of finance and administration on grant matters, including:

                (1) methods and models for identifying, procuring, using and maintaining federal and other grants;

                (2) identification of barriers to procuring and managing federal and other grants;

                (3) best practices for managing and accounting for grants;

                (4) the contents and analyses of the annual state and local grants survey; and

                (5) other grant topics requested by the department of finance and administration.

          F. The grant opportunities council shall report to the department of finance and administration, the governor and the legislature by December 1 of each year. The report shall include a description of the council's activities for the year, an annual state and local grants survey and recommendations for administrative or statutory changes to improve the number and quality of federal and other grants awarded to state and political subdivisions of the state.

     SECTION 2. A new section of Chapter 12 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] GRANTS MATCHING FUND--CREATED--PURPOSE--APPLICATIONS.--

          A. The "grants matching fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury and consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. The fund shall be administered by the department of finance and administration. Money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature to help political subdivisions of the state meet match requirements for federal and other grants. Expenditures from the fund shall be on warrants of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the director of the local government division or the director's authorized representative.

          B. The department of finance and administration shall establish standards of eligibility and criteria for prioritizing applications for grant matching funds. Priority for matching fund grants shall be given to projects that provide services to rural and frontier communities and other underserved populations and to smaller counties and municipalities to improve service delivery or to be more efficient and effective. Application shall be on forms provided by the department of finance and administration and shall include all information required by the department."

     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION.--One million dollars ($1,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the grants matching fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2023 and subsequent fiscal years to help political subdivisions of the state meet grant matching requirements for federal and other grants. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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