[Nmtriblibs] FW: NMLA 2023 Legislative Bulletin #17

[Moore, Patricia, DCA]

Forwarded on behalf of Joe Sabatini…

Patricia

Patricia Moore
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS:  patricia.moore at dca.nm.gov
GO Bond / Public Library Consultant
New Mexico State Library / Development Bureau

From: Joe Sabatini <jsabatini423 at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 10:33 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] NMLA 2023 Legislative Bulletin #17

NMLA 2023 Legislative Bulletin #17                               March 21, 2023

The Legislature adjourned on Saturday, March 18th at noon. There were no further actions on any of the bills we were following. This bulletin repeats some of what was in Legislative Bulletin 16 about the three major money bills, and lists items that were not passed. We now await the Governor’s signature, veto or line-item-veto on the appropriations, capital outlay and “junior” appropriations bills.

BILLS PASSED

The House concurred with Senate amendments to HB 2, the General Appropriations Act, by a voice vote. The Senate had amended the bill to add $130 million in additional appropriations. By accepting the Senate’s changes, the budget now goes to the Governor for her signature.

The text of the bill after the Senate amendments is at https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/23%20Regular/bills/house/HB0002FC1.pdf

HB 2 continues to include the original budget funding for the New Mexico State Library, and added funding for the National History Day program, which had been in SB 270.

“The general fund appropriations to the library services program of the cultural affairs department include two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to support schools that support participation in the national history day program.”

HB 2 also has the following additional provisions relating to libraries:

Section 4. FISCAL YEAR 2024 APPROPRIATIONS.
K. PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT
(5) Indian education fund:
Appropriations:
(a) Other 20,000.0 20,000.0
The secretary of public education, in collaboration with the assistant secretary for Indian education, shall develop a methodology to allocate the twenty million dollar ($20,000,000) general fund appropriation to tribal education departments, tribal libraries, Native American language programs,
school districts and charter schools based on operational needs and student enrollment.

Section 5. SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS. --The following amounts are appropriated from the general fund or other funds as indicated for the purposes specified.

(86) CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT 15,000.0 15,000.0
For the rural libraries endowment fund. [$15 million]


Section 10. FUND TRANSFERS.-The following amounts are transferred in fiscal year 2024 from the general fund or other funds as indicated for the purposes specified.
(7) RURAL LIBRARY ENDOWMENT FUND
The transfer to the rural library endowment fund contained in Subsection 2 of Section 11 of Chapter 54 of Laws 2022 is from the general fund and not the appropriation contingency fund of the general fund.
Section 13. CERTAIN FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AUTHORIZED.
(30) the cultural affairs department may request budget increases up to seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) from other state funds from the cultural affairs department enterprise fund, the museum and historic sites program of the cultural affairs department may request budget increases up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) from other state funds, the library services program of the cultural affairs department may request budget increases from other state funds in the rural libraries program fund for rural library grants and the preservation program of the cultural affairs department may request budget increases up to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) from other state funds for archaeological services or historic preservation services;

SB 147, Tax Changes

This large bill includes provision to exempt governments from paying gross receipts tax for “digital products” that are loaned to the public. The House took up the bill on March 13, and passed it by a vote of 59 – 0. SB 147 now goes to the Governor for her signature.

HB 505, Capital Outlay Projects

On Tuesday March 15th, the full Senate debated and passed HB 505 by a vote of 27-13. HB 505 now goes to the Governor for her signature. The Governor can line-item-veto any project in the bill. Twenty five library projects received $5,668,780 in funding. In addition, there was a $20 million appropriation “to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip tribal libraries statewide, including for facilities in the Pueblo of Jemez, the Pueblo of Santa Clara, the Pueblo of Santo Domingo and the Mescalero Apache Nation.”
Senate Finance Committee Substitute For Senate Bill 192, Additional Appropriations and Confidentiality

This is the bill that is often called the “Junior Bill.”  It is where appropriations which did not get included in the General Appropriations Act (HB 2) or the Capital Outlay Projects bill (SB 505) get funded. Eight library project appropriations are included in this 38 page bill. Senate Bill 192 was amended by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and passed the House on March 16th on a 67-0 vote. The Senate on March 16th voted to accept the amended bill by a voice vote.

BILLS THAT WERE NOT PASSED

House Bill 147, Indian Education Funds Distribution

HB 147 was not taken up by the House despite being on the “Third Reading of Legislation” calendar beginning on February 22nd.  This bill, part of the Tribal Education Initiative, would have allowed tribal education entities including tribal libraries to retain funds granted for programs beyond a single fiscal year.

Senate Bill 214, Rural Libraries Endowment

SB 214 requested $37 million for full funding for the Endowment. The bill was tabled in the Senate Finance Committee. Fifteen million dollars in funding was provided in HB 2, above. Senator Ortiz y Pino noted during the hearing that he would ask for the remaining $22 million in the 2024 session.

Senate Bill 258, San Miguel Library Services
SB 258 requested $42,000 for the library at Villanueva. The bill was also tabled in the Senate Finance Committee. Instead, $93,000 was included for this library in the Capital Outlay bill, HB 505.

Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair
NMLA Legislation Committee



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