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The New Mexico Senate on Thursday passed legislation to protect and preserve heritage Spanish language in New Mexico and expand the rights and duties of the state’s Hispanic Education Advisory Council.
House Bill 487, Protection of Hispanic Education, sponsored by Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez, is headed to the governor’s desk for her signature.
HB 487 amends the purpose of the Hispanic Education Act to include the protection and preservation of New Mexico’s heritage Spanish language and culture.
“Incorporating heritage Spanish language preservation into the Hispanic Education Act reaffirms the state’s enduring dedication to linguistic and cultural diversity,” said Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla.
Heritage Spanish refers to theSpanish language as it is passed down through generations within families and communities, particularly among those who grow up in a predominantly English-speaking society but maintain a cultural or familial connection to Spanish.
“New Mexico is proud to lead the way in protecting and uplifting Hispanic education. The swift passage of HB 487 reflects our deep commitment to honoring culture, language and identity in our classrooms,” said Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo.
New Mexico has a unique dialect of Spanish, also referred to as Traditional New Mexican, that has been around for more than 400 years. A variety of factors threaten the survival of Traditional New Mexican, and HB 487 may serve to decelerate the loss of this unique dialect.
The bill will also allow members of the Hispanic Education Advisory Council to receive per diem and mileage, in addition to requiring a biannual Hispanic education summit and including the Higher Education Department and community-based organizations as stakeholders to improve Hispanic student outcomes.
The Hispanic Education Act was signed into law in 2010. The original purpose of the act was to preserve educational opportunities for Hispanic students in the state and create the Hispanic Education Advisory Council.