Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance
committees of the Legislature. LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they
are used for other purposes.
F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Zamora
LAST UPDATED
ORIGINAL DATE
SHORT TITLE Curry County Water Lines
BILL
NUMBER House Bill 390
ANALYST Davidson
APPROPRIATION*
(dollars in thousands)
FY25 FY26
Recurring or
Nonrecurring
Fund
Affected
$12,000 Nonrecurring General Fund
Parentheses ( ) indicate expenditure decreases.
*Amounts reflect most recent analysis of this legislation.
Duplicates Senate Bill 339
Sources of Information
LFC Files
Agency Analysis Received From
New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Agency Analysis was Solicited but Not Received From
Office of the State Engineer (OSE) Department of Finance Administration (DFA)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of House Bill 390
House Bill 390 appropriates $12 million from the general fund to New Mexico Environment
Department for the purpose of planning, designing, constructing, replacing, and improving the
water lines in Curry County.
This bill does not contain an effective date and, as a result, would go into effect 90 days after the
Legislature adjourns if enacted, or June 20, 2025.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $12 million contained in this bill is a nonrecurring expense to the general
fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY28 shall revert to the
general fund.
House Bill 390 – Page 2
Analysis from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) notes they would award the
funding from the bill through a procurement process.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
The state currently has existing tools to implement projects such as the one highlighted in House
Bill 390. The state’s drinking water state revolving fund provides funding for water
infrastructure projects like the one proposed in the bill. Additionally, large amounts of federal
funds are available to entities such as Curry County for use in water infrastructure projects.
NMED analysis also foregrounds existing sources of infrastructure funding and notes that
encouraging communities to use existing reserves of capital for infrastructure projects would aid
in bolstering the state’s water infrastructure.
Analysis from NMED notes the agency does not have the administrative or technical capacity to
directly manage large-scale infrastructure projects. Agency analysis notes that because NMED
serves as the regulatory authority for public water systems, taking on project related
responsibilities could impact its regulatory duties. Therefore, the agency will go through the
procurement process to find a contractor to implement the project.
NMED analysis further notes the bill could be amended to provide the funding directly to Curry
County or the appropriate local public water system to administer the project.
CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP
House Bill 390 is a duplicate of Senate Bill 339.
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