underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
HOUSE BILL 353
57
TH LEGISLATURE
-
STATE
OF
NEW
MEXICO
-
FIRST SESSION
,
2025
INTRODUCED BY
Tara L. Lujan and Cynthia Borrego
AN ACT
RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; ENACTING THE NEW MEXICO YOUTH
FILM AND MEDIA DEVELOPMENT ACT; PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; CREATING THE YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA
GRANT FUND; PROVIDING FOR GRANTS FROM THE FUND; MAKING AN
APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be
cited as the "New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act".
SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act:
A. "department" means the higher education
department;
B. "fund" means the youth film and media grant
fund; and
.230221.1 underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
C. "grant" means a grant by the department from the
fund.
SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA GRANT
PROGRAM--REQUIREMENTS.--
A. The department shall:
(1) coordinate with the New Mexico film
office, New Mexico-based recipients of the film production tax
credit, state higher educational institutions and film and
media organizations to develop the youth film and media grant
program and to ensure that the grant program aligns with the
state's workforce development goals and the needs of the film
industry;
(2) establish and implement the youth film and
media grant program to provide a grant to a person or an
organization that has a primary mission of advancing filmmaking
projects and programs that serve youth between twelve and
eighteen years of age;
(3) ensure that the youth film and media grant
program prioritizes work with rural and tribal communities in
the state to provide Native American youth and youth living in
rural parts of the state with greater access to career
opportunities in the film and television industry;
(4) develop a grant application and review
process; and
(5) upon approval of an application, provide a
.230221.1
- 2 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
grant to a person or an organization that, through the person's
or organization's project or program:
(a) serves youth between twelve and
eighteen years of age;
(b) serves at least one hundred schools
across at least one-third of the counties in the state;
(c) engages with at least one-half of
the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located partially or
entirely within the state; and
(d) provides the youth served with
hands-on training and educational experiences in film, media
and production.
B. A grant recipient shall submit an annual report
to the department that provides detailed descriptions of:
(1) how the grant funds were spent;
(2) the number of youth participants served
with the grant funds;
(3) the number of schools served with the
grant funds;
(4) the Indian nations, tribes or pueblos
engaged using the grant funds; and
(5) the impact of the grant-funded project or
program on the youth participants' educational and professional
opportunities.
SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] YOUTH FILM AND MEDIA GRANT
.230221.1
- 3 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
FUND--CREATED.--
A. The "youth film and media grant fund" is created
in the state treasury and shall be administered by the
department. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts,
grants, donations, income from investment of the fund and any
other money distributed or otherwise allocated to the fund.
Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money
in the fund shall not revert at the end of a fiscal year.
B. Money in the fund is appropriated to the
department for the purposes of making grants pursuant to the
New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development Act in a total
amount not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000) per fiscal year. Disbursements from the fund shall
be made by warrant of the secretary of finance and
administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of
higher education or the secretary's authorized representative.
SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION.--One million five hundred
thousand dollars ($1,500,000) is appropriated from the general
fund to the youth film and media grant fund for expenditure in
fiscal year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years for making grants
pursuant to the New Mexico Youth Film and Media Development
Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the
end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.
.230221.1
- 4 -