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| SPONSOR: | Picraux | DATE TYPED: | 02/16/99 | HB | 154 | ||
| SHORT TITLE: | Replace Obsolete Broadcast Equipment | SB | |||||
| ANALYST: | Pacheco-Perez | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY99 | FY2000 | FY99 | FY2000 | ||
| $ 850.0 | Non-Rec | GF | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)
Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Commission on Higher Education (CHE)
State Department of Education (SDE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
This bill appropriates $850.0 to the Educational Television Equipment Replacement Fund for the purpose of replacing the three public educational television stations' obsolete broadcast equipment and to plan for future technology needs.
Significant Issues
The stations which would have use of the funding proposed in this bill are: KNME -TV in Albuquerque, KENW-TV in Portales and KRWG-TV in Las Cruces. According to the CHE, these public stations are integral partners in the state's educational delivery system and provide extensive broadcasting service to communities throughout the state.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $200.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 and beyond. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY00 shall not revert to the general fund.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
According to the SDE, the planning of future technology needs should involve the SDE, the CHE and the Chief Information Office.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to the CHE, over 60% of the educational television equipment is considered beyond its useful life by technical standards. The Federal Communications Commission requires that public television stations convert to digital transmission by 2003. Because of the conversion to digital technologies, this request is a top priority for funding of capital projects.
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