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

SPONSOR:	Gonzales		DATE TYPED:		HB	870
SHORT TITLE:		Taos Early Childhood Development			SB
				ANALYST:		Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
	$500.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 870 appropriates $500.0 from the general fund to CYFD for the purpose of expanding and improving early childhood development programs to provide early care, education and family support services to low- and moderate-income families of children from birth to age three in the town and county of Taos.

Significant Issues

CYFD’s currently provides these services throughout New Mexico and the appropriation would be a 9.4 percent increase of the budget for these services. However, this increase would be limited for expenditure in Taos County. Four years ago, the agency received a similar appropriation for Sunland Park and it was used to establish an infrastructure of early education and family support programs. If this bill is enacted, CYFD would do a similar program in Taos County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The terms “low- and moderate-income” in line 21 are not defined and could be the subject of differing interpretations.

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