2022 Legislative Session Wrap-up
We are grateful to all of our community members, supporters, and partner organizations for their endless work and advocating to make a better future for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ relatives in New Mexico.
Tewa Women United’s mission is to embody courageous spaces that center Indigenous women and girls to connect with ancestral knowingness, healing strengths, and lifeways for the wellbeing of all. During the 2022 New Mexico Legislative session, we supported eight bills that directly related to our organizational mission. Four of these eight pieces of legislation made it through both the House and Senate, and are headed to the Governor’s desk for consideration and signature:
HB 22 “LIMITED ENGLISH ACCESS TO STATE PROGRAMS”
An act relating to governmental accessibility; requiring all state departments to provide meaningful access to state programs for individuals with limited proficiency in English; making an appropriation.
SB 13 “MISSING IN NEW MEXICO EVENT”
An act relating to missing persons; creating the “Missing in New Mexico Event”; declaring an emergency.
SB 12 “AG OFFICE FOR MISSING INDIGENOUS PERSONS” An act relating to law enforcement; creating the position of missing indigenous persons specialist within the office of the attorney general; providing duties; creating the partnership in Native American communities network grant program; creating the partnership in Native American communities network grant fund; making appropriations; declaring an emergency.
SB 140 “OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP ACT” An act relating to higher education; enacting the opportunity scholarship act; repealing and enacting sections of the NMSA 1978; making an appropriation.
These four bills did not pass the Legislature:
- SB 82 WNMU INDIGENOUS STUDENT PROGRAM
- SJR 2 ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS, CA
- SB 97 INDIGENOUS WISDOM CURRICULUM PROJECT
- HB 173 RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS RESPONSE ACT
In addition to those eight bills, we took note of these seven bills related to the environment, all of which passed and are headed to the Governor’s desk:
- HB 2 GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2022
- HB 135 INDIAN FAMILY PROTECTION ACT
- HB 164 URANIUM MINE CLEANUP
- HB 163 TAX CHANGES
- SB 37 PUBLIC PROJECT REVOLVING FUND APPROPRIATIONS
- SB 48 GEN APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTH EXPENDITURES
- SB 212 CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTS
And this bill related to education, which also passed:
- HB 60 NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE CERTIFICATE SALARIES
Thank you to everyone who contacted your elected representatives during this legislative session. We are grateful for your efforts to advocate for healthy, sustainable communities and to protect the most vulnerable. Your voice is essential!