HOUSE BILL 149

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

INTRODUCED BY

Derrick J. Lente

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO TRIBAL EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CALCULATE AND INCLUDE AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET A PORTION OF FUNDS FOR NEW MEXICO INDIAN NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] CALCULATION OF DISTRIBUTION TO INDIAN NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS--DEPARTMENT BUDGET--PROPOSAL--APPROPRIATION--DISTRIBUTION.--

          A. The department shall annually calculate an amount that is equivalent to a percentage of the permanent school fund additional distribution for public schools in Paragraph (1) of Subsection H of Section 7 of Article 12 of the constitution of New Mexico as follows:

                     total number of Native

                     American students

                     __________________ X forty percent                      total public school   of additional                      student population    distribution.

          B. The department shall include the calculated amount in its annual proposed department budget pursuant to Section 6-3-19 NMSA 1978.

          C. The legislature may appropriate the amount calculated to the department for distribution to the federally recognized Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located wholly or partially in New Mexico to be expended only within New Mexico or to the tribal education trust fund if that fund is created pursuant to legislation enacted in the first session of the fifty-sixth legislature."

     SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.

- 2 -