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

SPONSOR Martinez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-2-06

HB 615

SHORT TITLE LOW-COST SPAY & NEUTER SERVICES

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$100.0

Non-Rec

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates SB711, HB822 except for the amount.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 615 appropriates $100 thousand from the general fund to the Local Government Divi-

sion (LGD) of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) for expenditure in FY07

and subsequent years to contract for statewide low-cost or no-cost cat and dog spay and neuter

services for low-income caretakers.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100,000 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year would not

revert.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DFA explained that the goal of this legislation is to reduce cat and dog overpopulation in New

Mexico so that animal shelters and veterinarians will no longer need to euthanize healthy adopt-

House Bill 615 – Page 2

able cats and dogs. The New Mexico Pet Overpopulation Project (POP), states that currently in

New Mexico, approximately 90,000 healthy and adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized because

there are not enough homes for them all.

POP is working to provide or facilitate an increase in the number of affordable spay and neuter

surgeries for cats and dogs throughout the state through a variety of means, including low cost

spay/neuter programs for low income residents and a public awareness campaign. POP is cur-

rently in the first phase of its development.

Phase I goals include:

•

Help Albuquerque obtain capital outlay funds to construct and equip a high volume

spay/neuter clinic and to purchase and equip two spay/neuter vans and two transport vans

(HB 2)

•

Provide funds for a spay/neuter awareness campaign in the elementary schools of the

greater Albuquerque area (should be introduced this legislative session).

•

Provide funds for a statewide low or no cost cat and dog spay/neuter program for low-

income households (HB615, HB822, and SB711).

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

POP initially wanted DFA to contract with a nonprofit organization that has not been created yet.

As DFA cannot do this, the City of Albuquerque will serve as fiscal agent for the appropriation.

POP has not created a new nonprofit yet but plan to. This nonprofit will be an umbrella organi-

zation serving the smaller local shelters and veterinarians. How the funds get distributed, what

constitutes "low-income", what are the program requirements, and how to grow the project to

"state-wide" status remain to be answered. From DFA's perspective, the administration of this

grant would be easy as DFA has the staff and knowledge to administer and monitor this project.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Duplicates SB711, HB822 except for the amount.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DFA asked, if the goal is to increase the number of pets who are spayed and neutered, the bill

limits the low or no cost services to only low income pet owners. Broader availability of this

incentive might promote this goal more effectively.

DH/nt