NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is
intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the
legislature. The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume
responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for
other purposes.
The most recent FIR
version (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) is available on the Legislative
Website. The Adobe PDF version includes
all attachments, whereas the HTML version does not. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be
obtained from the LFC in
|
SPONSOR: |
Pinto |
DATE TYPED: |
|
HB |
|
||
|
SHORT TITLE: |
Tohatchi
Youth Development Programs |
SB |
423 |
||||
|
|
ANALYST: |
Weber |
|||||
APPROPRIATION
|
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
|
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
|
$42.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
General
Fund |
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Responses
Received From
Office
of Indian Affairs
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
Senate Bill 423
appropriates $42,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Indian Affairs for youth
development programs including a youth leadership project at the Tohatchi Chapter in Tohatchi.
Significant
Issues
The Office of Indian Affairs reports that Indian
nation youth are in a crisis mode. They
face many challenges and need programs and mentors that can support them during
their formative years when the choices they make impact them for the rest of
their lives. The youth need programs
that help them stay in school, assist with preventing pregnancy and substance
abuse, guide them in their choices so that they look forward to a bright
future, instead of wasting their potential.
These programs must be tailored to their specific needs. This is critical in preventing waste of the
great talents and abilities of the next generation.
Gangs, juvenile delinquency, high drop-out
rates, driving while intoxicated, theft, violent crime, teen pregnancy,
HIV-AIDS, sexually-transmitted diseases and
substance abuse are some of the issues that affect Indian youth on
reservation lands. Not only urban Indian
youth are affected but reservation and rural Indian youth are just as
susceptible.
A lack of programs that target youth for
recreation, mentoring, educating, and keeping them out of trouble and drug and
alcohol-free are lacking. This funding
would create support and awareness of their needs and address critical issues
facing our young people today. A youth
leadership program would create strong peer mentors and support the leaders of
tomorrow.
There is disproportionate representation of
Indian youth in juvenile corrections centers.
Early intervention and good programming that assist with the many
problems facing today’s youth, and programs targeted to Indian youth and that
are culturally-based, are seen to deter the end that we do not wish for any of
our young—incarceration and worse—an early and violent death.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $42.0
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.
MW/yr