An editorial in Sunday’s Santa Fe New Mexican described the Tribal Education Trust Fund as “groundbreaking” and called on legislators to “get it done.”

HB 134/aaa, the Tribal Education Trust Fund, is scheduled for a hearing today, Monday, February 12, in the Senate Finance Committee. Carried by Rep. Lente, with Rep. Allison and several other co-sponsors, the bill crossed over to the Senate after receiving unanimous approval in the House.

The SF New Mexican editors write:

“Approving the trust fund and getting the legislation to the governor must be a priority in the waning days of this 30-day session. Not only will establishing a trust fund address concerns from the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit, it embraces the entire tribal community in a manner that will include Native culture and values as never before.”

You can support HB 134/aaa by calling or emailing members of the Senate Finance Committee today and ask them to pass the Tribal Education Trust Fund.

HB 134/aaa would establish a new Tribal Education Trust Fund to strengthen tribal education capacity and sovereignty. It would secure a stable and consistent funding stream for Tribes to support Native students and help fulfill their right to a culturally relevant, high-quality education. The bill was revised several times to incorporate tribal feedback. New Mexico’s Nations, Tribes and Pueblos now stand unified in support of the Tribal Education Trust Fund.

As the Santa Fe New Mexican puts it: “The trust fund not only meets the state’s constitutional obligation to Native children, it does so in a manner that embraces tribal sovereignty.”