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

SPONSOR Madalena

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-1-06

HB 632

SHORT TITLE

SANDOVAL COUNTY NATIVE AMERICAN

VOTING RIGHTS

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$25.0 Non-Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Secretary of State (SOS)

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 632 appropriates $25 thousand from the general fund to the Local Government Divi-

sion (LGD) of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) for use in FY07 through

FY09 to implement the Native American voting rights program in Sandoval County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $25 thousand contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 would revert to

the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DIA indicated Sandoval County’s Bureau of Elections (“Bureau”) is responsible for conducting

all federal, state and County elections within the County. The Bureau provides a number of ser-

vices to Sandoval County residents, including voter education programs. The Bureau also assists

governmental entities in preparing and administering local elections. There are 10 tribal gov-

House Bill 632 – Page 2

ernmental entities within Sandoval County, including the following: Cochiti Pueblo, San Felipe

Pueblo, Zia Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Sandia Pueblo,

Counselor Chapter-Navajo Nation, Torreon Chapter-Navajo Nation, and Ojo Encino Chapter-

Navajo Nation. Importantly, there are 4 different Native American languages (and numerous

dialects of the same) used within Sandoval County including: Keres, Towa, Tiwa, and Navajo.

In previous years, the Bureau hired Native American liaisons to interpret state election docu-

ments in the 4 Native American languages. Tribal liaisons provide voter education and help the

Bureau ensure compliance with the minority language assistance amendments of the Federal

Voting Rights Act of 1965. The tribal liaisons also assist in registering tribal members to vote.

During the last general election (2004), the Bureau contracted with 7 tribal liaisons to assist tribal

governments and members in the voting process. The appropriation request would help fund 7 to

8 tribal liaisons for the upcoming elections. These individuals would provide the same services

as provided in 2004.

DH/yr