HOUSE MEMORIAL 72

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Sandra D. Jeff

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF PERMITTING STUDENTS AT TRIBAL COLLEGES TO QUALIFY FOR LEGISLATIVE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS.

     WHEREAS, the purpose of the legislative lottery scholarship program is to provide tuition assistance for qualified New Mexico resident undergraduate students to attend New Mexico's public post-secondary educational institutions; and

     WHEREAS, a significant proportion of New Mexico resident undergraduate students choose to attend an accredited tribally, federally or congressionally chartered post-secondary educational institution located in New Mexico such as the Crownpoint institute of technology, Dine college, institute of American Indian arts and southwestern Indian polytechnic institute; and

     WHEREAS, qualified New Mexico resident undergraduate students choosing to attend a tribal college should be entitled to the same state-sponsored tuition assistance as those qualified New Mexico resident undergraduate students choosing to attend New Mexico's public post-secondary educational institutions; and

     WHEREAS, qualified New Mexico resident undergraduate students choosing to attend a tribal college are not now eligible to participate in the legislative lottery scholarship program; and

     WHEREAS, the ineligibility of undergraduate students choosing to attend a tribal college to participate in the legislative lottery scholarship program is fundamentally unfair and discriminatory;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to appoint a task force to conduct a study of the feasibility of permitting undergraduate students choosing to attend a tribal college in New Mexico to be eligible for legislative lottery scholarships; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include members of the interim legislative committee that studies Indian affairs, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee and representatives of the higher education department, the Indian affairs department and each of the tribal colleges; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and recommendations to the interim legislative committee that studies Indian affairs, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee by October 1, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president pro tempore of the senate; the speaker of the house of representatives; the chairs of the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee; the secretary of higher education; and the secretary of Indian affairs.

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