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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

01/24/08

HB 287

SHORT TITLE Native American Cultural Performances

SB

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$75.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

Cultural Affairs Department (CAD)

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 287 appropriates $75 thousand from the general fund to the Indian Affairs

Department to support performances of traditional and contemporary Native American

performing arts throughout New Mexico, thereby educating schoolchildren and the general

public regarding Native American culture and traditions and encouraging new performing arts

talent.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $75 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

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

the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Indian Affairs Department notes that Presentations of Native American performing arts are

helpful only if they convey an accurate image of Native culture. University of New Mexico

House Bill 287 – Page

2

Professor Chris Wilson’s argues in this book, The Myth of Santa Fe, that representations of New

Mexico’s cultural richness in places like Santa Fe have been reduced to a carefully packaged

portrayal intended to attract tourism. As a result, many visitors and locals alike may develop

inaccurate conceptions of Native culture. Presenting authentic Native artistic performances may

aid in contradicting phony imagery and stereotypical representations of Native traditions.

The Public Education Department notes that the bill supports community involvement in

organized efforts for art education. Movement, choreography, storytelling, valuing one’s own

and others’ cultures can be enhanced though the Performing Arts/Dance. Learning through the

arts for students creates interest, discipline, focus and promotes learning and skill development.

The NM Content Standards for the Arts make a foundation for this learning along with other

Content Standards through:

•

Demonstration of an understanding of the dynamics of the creative process.

•

Observation, discussion, analysis and making critical judgments about artistic works.

•

Increased awareness of diverse peoples through the performing arts.

•

Connections and parallels among the arts, health and physical education disciplines as

well as science, math, language arts, social studies, modern, classical and native

languages and career technology.

•

Contributions to the local community by sharing learning in movement, and dance.

As the world moves from a logical, linear Information Age into an economy and society built on

the inventive capabilities of a Conceptual Age, creative design, symphony, empathy and

meaning* will emerge to be as valued as logical thinking and linear skills are now. (Pink, 2005).

MW/mt