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

SPONSOR Madalena

DATE TYPED 03/07/05 HB 977

SHORT TITLE Observance of American Indian Day

SB

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Indian Affairs (DIA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 977 changes the American Indian Day from the first Tuesday of Fedruary to the first

Friday in February.

Significant Issues

The Indian Affairs Department comments.

The intent of the proposed legislation is to change American Indian Day from the first Tuesday

in February to the first Friday in February so it will not conflict with school board elections,

presidential caucuses and traditional Pueblo feast days, which may fall on the same day depend-

ing on the year. Each year on American Indian Day hundreds of Indian citizens of New Mexico

converge upon the New Mexico State Capitol to recognize the many contributions of the Ameri-

can Indians to the economic and cultural heritage of all the citizens of the United States. Fur-

thermore, this is an important day when tribal leaders give their “State of the Nations” addresses

to New Mexico State legislators in a joint session of the legislature. However, having American

Indian Day on the first Tuesday in February precludes some Indian citizens from joining the

yearly festivities due to the competing priorities mentioned above.

MW/yr