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Committee advances bill to formalize economic-development data sharing for LITA and JTIP
Summary
Senate Bill 158 would codify current data-sharing practices for New Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LITA) and JTIP program so the Legislative Finance Committee can continue evaluations; committee gave SB158 a due pass, 10–0.
Senator Linda Schindel told the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee on May 20 that Senate Bill 158 would place current reporting and data-sharing practices for flagship economic development programs into statute so that those data remain available to the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for performance evaluation.
"Senate Bill 158 is a bill that ensures that all current data reporting practices in two of our flagship economic development programs ... will continue," Senator Schindel said during her presentation, identifying the Local Economic Development Act (LITA) and the state job-training program as the programs covered.
Schindel and LFC staff said the bill does not create new reporting obligations for businesses or agencies but would instead formalize the department's existing practice of collecting and sharing program performance data with the legislature. "All we're doing is qualifying these actions," the senator said.
Committee members asked about confidentiality concerns. A committee member noted an agency analysis stating disclosure requirements could deter company participation by exposing confidential or proprietary information. "Senate Bill 158 only allows data ... that can be used for evaluation purposes," Schindel replied. "We can't publish that data unless it's sufficiently anonymized. We're not going to be sharing any data that the agency isn't already collecting, and we're not going to be publishing it. It's just for simple evaluation purposes."
After questions, the committee chair moved a due-pass motion. The committee recorded a roll call and approved the due-pass motion 10 yes, 0 no.
Because the bill text was presented as codifying current practices rather than imposing new reporting requirements, supporters said the measure is intended to preserve continuity across administrations and to ensure the LFC can continue independent program evaluations.
Votes at a glance: due pass motion approved by roll call, 10–0.
