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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Begaye

DATE TYPED 1/24/05

HB 12

SHORT TITLE Conference for Native Language Authors

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION

(Amount in $000s)

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

10.0

Non-Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Indian Affairs

No comments received at the time the FIR was prepared from Cultural Affairs Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 12 appropriates $10 thousand from the general fund to the Cultural Affairs Depart-

ment in FY06 for the purpose of contracting for a conference in New Mexico where authors from

New Mexico, elsewhere in the United States, and from abroad who write stories in their native

language to share their work with other authors and the public and to share their experiences to

improve their writing and disseminate their work to a wider audience.

Significant Issues

According to the Department of Indian Affairs, a Native American authors conference would

attract a diverse, indigenous audience and bring some economic benefits to the State of New

Mexico. HB 12 may provide an added benefit to tribes by supporting a forum for discussing

strategies for native language preservation, as well as to encourage more Native American au-

thors.

House Bill 12 -- Page 2

The intent of this bill is not clear in its text. Would the funding be used strictly to promote

greater publication in Native American languages. Is the intent broader, such as to promote pub-

lication in any indigenous—in contrast to externally imposed— language around the globe in-

cluding authors who publish in gaelic, celtic, welsh, basque and other language traditions that are

engaged in a similar effort to preserve their languages, cultures and traditions.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $10 thousand in FY06 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to

the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall

revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

It would be useful for DCA to partner with tribal governments, tribal colleges, and New Mexico

institutions of higher education in developing this conference.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

It appears that the bill is targeting promotion of literature written in Native American languages;

however, the bill text is much broader—including any individuals “who write in their native lan-

guage” which includes persons of anglo descent who write in English. If the conference is to

include only Native American authors, lines 12 and 20 should be amended to capitalize native

and insert “American” thereafter. Line 20 would also be amended to delete “their.” If the intent

is to include Indians from other nations (i.e. Innuits from Canada or persons from tribes located

in Central and South America), the bill might be amended to replace “native language” with

“aboriginal language.”

DH/lg