SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 4

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

Linda M. Lopez

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE LEGISLATIVE ENTITIES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES TO IDENTIFY, ASSESS AND DECREASE INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.

     WHEREAS, institutional racism is the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture or ethnic origin; and

     WHEREAS, institutional racism can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behavior that amount to discrimination through prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping that disadvantage minority ethnic people; and

     WHEREAS, institutional racism means actions that result in differential access to the goods, services and opportunities of society due to the existence of institutional programs, policies and practices that intentionally or unintentionally place certain racial and ethnic groups at a disadvantage in relation to other groups; and

     WHEREAS, the United States census bureau's American community survey reports in its demographic and housing estimates for 2019 that the population of New Mexico is forty-nine and three-tenths percent Hispanic, thirty-six and eight-tenths percent White not Hispanic, eight and seven-tenths percent American Indian and Alaska Native, one and nine-tenths percent Black and one and six-tenths percent Asian; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is a majority-minority state; and

     WHEREAS, it is an overarching legislative goal to minimize and effectively end discrimination; and

     WHEREAS, achieving such a goal requires the development and quantification of data that portrays an accurate representation of every facet of the legislative employment structure, including the hiring, retention and promotion policies and realities;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council direct the legislative building services, the legislative council service, the legislative finance committee, the legislative education study committee, the office of the chief clerk of the senate, the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the office of the speaker of the house of representatives, the office of the president pro tempore of the senate and each of the four leadership offices to conduct an evaluation of race as self-identified by applicants, candidates and employees as related to hiring, promotion, retention and pay; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council direct the legislative entities to develop policies to identify, assess, reduce and prevent inequities due to institutional racism in hiring, promotion and pay for those legislative entities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council direct the legislative entities to conduct an analysis of legislative employment datasets of race as self-identified by employees to track progress toward ending institutional racism; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council direct the legislative entities to develop and provide anti-institutional racism training for all employees; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before December 31 of each year, each legislative entity submit a plan to the appropriate oversight body committee dealing with that legislative entity to address institutional racism; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in fulfilling that requirement, each legislative entity shall:

          A. assess its anti-institutional racism policies in hiring, promotion, retention, pay equity, community engagement and workplace participation;

          B. create steps in its hiring and promotion processes that incorporate the values of diversity, equity and inclusion; and

          C. include a prominent statement on all job advertisements and annual reviews that clearly articulates the state's commitment to reducing and preventing institutional racism and states that all employees are required to participate in anti-institutional racism training; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative entities provide aggregate demographic statistics for all employees, including race for those employees who self-identify; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council and the chairs and directors of the legislative council service, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee and the chief clerks of the senate and house of representatives.

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