February 25, 1999

Mr. President:

Your INDIAN & CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred

has had it under consideration and reports same WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION, amended as follows:

1. On page 1, line 12, after the second occurrence of "AFFAIRS" insert a semicolon.

2. On page 1, line 13, strike "AND OFFICES" and insert in lieu thereof "REORGANIZING THE OFFICE".

3. On page 3, line 21, strike "this section" and insert in lieu thereof Chapter 28, Article 12 NMSA 1978".

4. On page 4, lines 10 and 11, remove the brackets and lines through and on lines 11 through 18, strike the underscored language.

5. On pages 4 through 7, strike Sections 3 through 6 in their entirety and insert the following:

"Section 3. [NEW MATERIAL] NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS--DEPUTY DIRECTORS--FIELD OFFICES--DUTIES.--

A. The New Mexico office of Indian affairs shall provide staff to the commission.

B. The executive director of the office shall employ three deputy directors.

C. The executive director shall establish a field office in a location convenient to the members of the Navajo nation living in New Mexico, in a community within the Navajo nation if possible. That field office may be known as the "Navajo affairs field office". The executive director shall appoint one of his deputy directors to manage the Navajo affairs field office.

D. The executive director shall establish a field office in Santa Fe or Albuquerque, after consultation with the leadership of the pueblos, that may be known as the "pueblo affairs field office". The executive director shall appoint one of his deputy directors to manage the pueblo affairs field office.

E. The executive director shall establish a field office that may be known as the "Apache affairs field office", in Santa Fe or Albuquerque or at another more convenient location after consultation with the leadership of the Mescalero Apache tribe and the Jicarilla Apache tribe. The executive director shall appoint one of his deputy directors to manage the Apache affairs field office.

F. The deputy directors shall:

(1) act as liaisons between the Native American community that they are serving and the state when requested to do so by an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo or by an individual Native American that requires help in receiving benefits from a state agency;

(2) administer capital or other projects assigned to it by the executive director;

(3) perform services for the commission as required by the executive director;

(4) provide information and assistance to members of the legislature when requested by a legislator;

(5) provide assistance to Native Americans and tribal governments within the state upon request to the extent possible;

(6) identify issues of legislative concern or that may require legislation and inform the legislature about those issues; and

(7) carry out the duties delegated by the commission to the field offices and deputy directors.

G. Each field office shall provide service to any Native American who seeks service at the office to the greatest extent possible.".

6. Renumber the succeeding section accordingly.

and thence referred to the PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________________

John Pinto, Chairman

Adopted_______________________ Not Adopted______________________

(Chief Clerk) (Chief Clerk)

Date ________________________

The roll call vote was 4 For 2 Against

Yes: 4

No: Davis, McSorley

Excused: Vernon

Absent: None

S0726IC1 129274.1