HB 194 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

CULTURAL EXPRESSION AT GRADUATION CEREMONIES

HB 194 would have prohibited public, private, and charter schools in New Mexico from banning students from federally recognized tribes, pueblos, or nations from wearing culturally significant items like regalia, jewelry, moccasins, beaded caps, or feathers at graduation or promotion ceremonies. The bill directly affects Indigenous students by protecting their right to express cultural identity during school events. Key provisions define "objects of cultural significance" to include specific traditional items, ensuring schools cannot restrict their display. The bill was replaced by a committee substitute and later postponed indefinitely, so it did not become law.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → GE substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten to add protections for students' cultural and religious expression at school events, including the right to wear tribal regalia and protective hairstyles. It also expanded charter school autonomy and clarified their operational responsibilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a single focus on graduation regalia to include broader anti-discrimination protections for hairstyles and cultural attire, plus significant updates to charter school governance and facility management rules.

REQUIREMENT

Added explicit prohibition against discipline based on race, religion, culture, protective hairstyles, or cultural/religious headdresses in school discipline policies.

Added new section allowing public school students to self-administer asthma and anaphylaxis medication under specific conditions.

Revised charter school section to clarify their rights and responsibilities regarding facilities, funding, and operations.

Added new policy of non-discrimination section specifically for charter schools regarding cultural expression and hairstyles.

DEFINITION

Defined 'protective hairstyles' to include braids, locs, twists, cornrows, afros, and other hairstyles.

Defined 'tribal regalia' to include traditional dress, jewelry, beading, and feathers for federally recognized tribes.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee & House Education Committee

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors