NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended 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 in any other situation.



The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.



Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.





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





SPONSOR: Sandoval DATE TYPED: 1/31/99 HB 181
SHORT TITLE: Math/Science/Eng. Achievement Programs SB
ANALYST: Pacheco-Perez


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
$ 200.0 Recurring GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)



Duplicates SB103



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Commission on Higher Education (CHE)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



This bill appropriates $200.0 to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to contract to provide mathematics, engineering and science achievement programs to school districts throughout the state.



Significant Issues



According to the CHE, the project proposed in this bill was the 8th priority of eleven special project requests made by the institution. The CHE has recommended moving this project from the CHE agency budget to NMIMT which currently administers the program.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation of $200.0 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.



DUPLICATION



This bill duplicates Senate Bill 103.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



According to the CHE, NM MESA currently serves 78 middle and high schools around the state. There are additional schools on a waiting list to join the program, in particular, feeder schools in Portales, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Bloomfield and Gallup. 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.



APP/njw