1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

.165981.1

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 24

48

TH LEGISLATURE

- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -

FIRST SESSION

, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Ray Begaye

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A STUDY OF PROCEDURES FOR AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF

FORMAL STATE RECOGNITION OF INDIAN NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS.

WHEREAS, the state has long recognized the importance of

the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located within the

state; and

WHEREAS, the state has created a cabinet-level Indian

affairs department to address relations between the state and

Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located within the state;

and

WHEREAS, since 1895, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has had

approximately one hundred ten thousand acres of its reservation

lands located within the state; and

WHEREAS, the Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands within the

state are used for traditional purposes and resource

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

.165981.1

- 2 -

development, including grazing and oil and gas extraction; and

WHEREAS, many members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe live

and work in the state; and

WHEREAS, the Ute Mountain Ute tribal council passed a

resolution on July 5, 2005, requesting the state to formally

recognize the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; and

WHEREAS, the state does not currently have a formal method

of recognizing any Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located

within the state;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the office of the attorney general and

the Indian affairs department be requested to investigate the

potential impact to the state of formal recognition of Indian

nations, tribes and pueblos located within the state and

alternative methods by which the state may formally recognize

Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located within the state;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the office of the attorney

general and the Indian affairs department be requested to

report their findings and recommendations no later than October

1, 2007 to the appropriate interim committees of the

legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the New Mexico attorney general, the secretary

of Indian affairs, the president of the Navajo Nation, the

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

.165981.1

president of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the president of the

Mescalero Apache Tribe, the chair of the Ute Mountain Ute

Tribe, the governors of the nineteen Indian pueblos and the

chair of the all Indian pueblo council.

- 3 -