The clock is ticking for lawmakers to approve tribal education trust fund

SANTA FE — New Mexico lawmakers still have a chance to establish a trust fund dedicated to supporting Native American communities’ ability to educate their children as they see fit.

But with just about two days left in the session, the clock is ticking.

House Bill 134 unanimously passed the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday morning, apparently clearing the measure’s path to the Senate floor.

The proposed trust fund would create things such as Native language programs.

In its current form, the state budget bill would set aside a $50 million initial appropriation for the fund.

“This bill is a critical opportunity to increase children’s access to culturally and linguistically relevant education,” said Aaron Lee, an advocate with NM Native Vote. “... The trust fund will help to retain educators who know the language and bring an amount of money which tribes have never had for culturally responsive education that provides for future generations.”

On the House side of the Roundhouse, the bill hit a couple of snags, facing opposition from Navajo Nation leadership who expressed concerns about inequity in how they would be represented on the task force that would have determined how to distribute funds.

Those concerns were alleviated with a floor amendment last week that eliminated the task force, and the Nation threw its support back behind the bill.

Sponsor Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, has said that even with the time crunch, he felt optimistic the bill would pass with all of its kinks worked out.

“It has all tribal nations at this point in New Mexico supporting it,” he told the Journal last week. “(I’m) very hopeful that this is going to make it across the finish line.”