April 8, 1999

The Honorable Manny M. Aragon and

Members of the Senate

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

Honorable President and Members of the Senate:

I have this day VETOED and am returning SENATE BILL 480, as amended, with emeregency clause and certificate of correction, enacted by the Forty-Fourth Legislature, First Session, 1999.

This legislation would convert the Southern New Mexico Rehabilitation Center to a facility serving persons enrolled in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) welfare program. Appropriations to support this new program are not contained in this bill and are apparently not provided for elsewhere. Proper implementation of this bill would require that substantial costs be incurred by the TANF program with doubtful results, a problematic result compounded by the fact little planning appears to have preceded the development of this legislation.

Sincerely,

Gary E. Johnson

Governor