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





SPONSOR: Salazar DATE TYPED: 2/08/99 HB 415
SHORT TITLE: NMSU Agriculture Science Programs SB
ANALYST: Pacheco-Perez


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
$ 300.0 Recurring GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)



Duplicates SB178, Relates to HB2



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Commission on Higher Education (CHE)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



This bill appropriates $300.0 to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico State University to expand and enhance economic survival programs of the sustainable agriculture science center in Alcalde. The appropriation is broken down as follows: $202.4 for the Cooperative Extension Service and $97.6 for the Agricultural Experiment Station.



Significant Issues



According to the CHE, the project proposed in this bill was ranked 1st of eleven special project requests made by the institution.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation of $300.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY00 shall revert to the general fund.



CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP



This bill duplicates Senate Bill 178. This bill also relates to House Bill 2. The LFC has included an amount of $95.2 to the Agricultural Experiment Station for the center in Alcalde.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



According to the CHE, the state higher education funding formula allows institutions to retain 100% of earned overhead on federal grants and contracts for the purpose of providing seed money and matching funds for projects such as that proposed in this bill. Of this indirect cost revenue, a portion is used to support salaries of administrative persons monitoring the contracts, utilities and other overhead expenses required to maintain the activities of the contract. However, a great deal of the indirect cost revenues is available to develop new research and public service projects as well as to expand academic departments. The revenue is unrestricted in the sense that the governing board of the institution has the flexibility to chose which projects are supported with these funds.



The CHE also suggests the following language: The institution receiving the appropriation in this bill shall submit a program evaluation to the LFC and CHE by August 1, 2002, detailing the benefits to the State of New Mexico.



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