TRIBAL LIAISON PROGRAMS
SB 468 proposes appropriating $33 million from the state general fund to create tribal liaison programs in every New Mexico county. The bill directs these programs to provide nonpartisan voter education, translation services, and voter registration drives specifically to improve access to the voting process for Native American communities. Each county would receive funding to support these services, aiming to ensure equal participation in elections. The funding is limited to fiscal year 2026, with any unused funds reverting to the general fund.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2025
Last action Jun 3, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
introduced version
→
IC substitute
·
2 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended from an introduced version to a committee substitute version, primarily changing the language around how the tribal liaison program funds are used. The original version allowed funding for a tribal liaison program in each county, while the substitute version limits participation to county clerk offices that choose to participate in the program. This change gives counties more flexibility to opt-in rather than requiring universal participation.
Scope change
The program's applicability changed from mandatory participation in each county to voluntary participation by county clerk offices that choose to join the program.
ELIGIBILITY
Changed from funding a tribal liaison program in each county to funding tribal liaison programs only in county clerk offices that choose to participate in the program.
REQUIREMENT
Removed the requirement that the program must be in each county, making participation voluntary for individual county clerk offices.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced
Sent to Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee & Senate Finance Committee
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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