HOUSE BILL 324

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Sandra D. Jeff

AN ACT

RELATING TO REVENUE; ENACTING THE NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING ACT; DISTRIBUTING AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO ONE PERCENT OF TRIBAL GAMING REVENUE TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING FUND; CREATING THE NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING FUND; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the

"Native American Veteran Housing Act".

     SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Native American Veteran Housing Act:

          A. "department" means the department of finance and

administration;

          B. "fund" means the Native American veteran housing fund;

          C. "Native American veteran" means an enrolled member of a tribe who has been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable from service in the United States army, navy, marine corps, air force or coast guard;

          D. "tribe" means a federally recognized Indian

nation, tribe or pueblo located wholly or partially in New

Mexico that has entered into a class III tribal-state gaming

compact with the state; and

          E. "trust land" means land located within the boundaries of a tribe or land held in trust by the United States for benefit of a tribe.

     SECTION 3. FUND CREATED--ADMINISTRATION.--

          A. The "Native American veteran housing fund" is created in the state treasury. The department shall administer the fund.

          B. Distributions from the general fund made quarterly by the legislature pursuant to the Native American veteran housing fund shall be deposited in the fund. Earnings on the fund shall be credited to the general fund.

          C. Balances in the fund are appropriated to the department to fund a program to assist Native American veterans to buy, build or repair a home on trust land. Distributions from the fund shall be made by warrant issued by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of finance and administration or the secretary's designee.

          D. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall revert to the

general fund.

     SECTION 4. QUARTERLY DISTRIBUTIONS--APPROPRIATIONS.--An

amount equal to one percent of the net receipts of revenue

sharing paid quarterly to the state pursuant to a revenue-sharing agreement pursuant to Section 11-13-2 NMSA 1978 by a tribal government is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2013 and in each subsequent fiscal year to the Native American veteran housing fund to carry out the purposes of the Native American Veteran Housing Act. Distributions shall be made on a quarterly basis by the twenty-fifth day of the month following the receipt of the quarterly revenue-sharing payment from a tribe. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the

provisions of this act is July 1, 2012.

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