[Nmtriblibs] FW: NMLA Legislative Bulletin #11

[Moore, Patricia, DCA]

Forwarded on behalf of Joe Sabatini…


From: Joe Sabatini <jsabatini423 at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2024 10:04 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] NMLA Legislative Bulletin #11
NMLA Legislative Bulletin #11                                                                                                                                                      February 2, 2024

COMMITTEE HEARINGS

The Tribal Education Alliance informs us that the House Appropriations and Finance Committee will hear HB 134/a and HB 135 on Friday, February 2nd in Room 307. The Committee meeting will start at 1:30pm, depending on the House floor session. (Note that on Thursday the House floor session continued until 4:01 pm)

HB 134/a would establish a new Tribal Education Trust Fund to strengthen tribal education capacity and sovereignty. The amended bill defers to the sovereign Tribes themselves to determine who should be at the table when funding decisions get made. The bill says that Indigenous values should guide decision-making, based on the principle of self-determination.

HB 135 would simplify the Indian Education grant process to make existing funding easier to access and use.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84052541475
Or One tap mobile :
+16694449171,,84052541475#
Webinar ID: 840 5254 1475

The webcast will be at https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00293/Harmony/en/View/UpcomingEvents/20240202/-1

Friday is Indian Day at the Roundhouse, celebrating Indigenous cultures in New Mexico.


House Bill 123, PROSCRIBING THE BANNING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS by Kathleen Cates, Harold Pope, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Cristina Parajon and Natalie Figueroa

Bill text at: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessions/24%20Regular/bills/house/HB0123.pdf

HB 123 was heard by the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on Thursday afternoon.
The webcast is at: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00293/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20240202/-1/74610
The bill was presented by Representative Kathleen Cates, beginning at 4:29:00. She was accompanied by bill co-sponsor Cristina Parajón and Valerie Nye of the Santa Fe Community College Library as an expert witness. Public comment begins at 4:32:15. Ten people testified in favor of the bill, including several members of the American Civil Liberties Union and several people expressing concerns about efforts to censor LGBTQ materials. State Librarian Eli Guinnee expressed the support of the Department of Cultural Affairs for the bill and noted that the State Library administers state funding for public libraries through an Administrative Code. (4:38:30) Julia Kelso of the Vista Grande Public Library stated that the bill reinforces the ability of librarians and their governing bodies to resist outside forces making organized efforts to censor whole categories of materials.
Rep. Cates closes by noting that she was involved in the Rio Rancho censorship attempt and appreciated the support of the mostly-Republican Rio Rancho City Council for their existing collection development policy and practices.  Committee discussion begins at 4:22:20. Representatives Stephanie Lord and John Block (5:02) raised many questions about the implementation of the provisions of the bill. They expressed concerns about children being able to access pornographic or other materials inappropriate for their age. At 5:24:15, Rep. Andrea Romero moved a "do pass" recommendation. Rep. Lord moves to table the motion, seconded by Rep. Block. The motion to table is defeated on a 4-2 vote. The motion for a "do pass" recommendation is passed by a 4-2 vote. At 5:25:30 Rep. Lord explains her "no" vote.

Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair
NMLA Legislation Committee
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