New Mexico legislation · 2026 Regular Session
New Mexico HB116: BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION ACT CHANGES
Status: Failed, January 22, 2026
What the bill says
An act relating to public schools; amending the bilingual multicultural education act; requiring eligible programs to use a home or heritage language as the primary medium of instruction or to use a language revitalization instruction model approved by the public education department; making conforming amendments.
From the introduced text, January 22, 2026:
AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AMENDING THE BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION ACT; REQUIRING ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS TO USE A HOME OR HERITAGE LANGUAGE AS THE PRIMARY MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION OR TO USE A LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION INSTRUCTION MODEL APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; MAKING CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO: SECTION 1. Section 22-23-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 285, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read: "22-23-6. BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS-- ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT.--[A.] To be eligible for state financial support, [each] a bilingual multicultural education program shall be approved by the department and shall: .232697.2 wen = lairetam derocsrednu eteled = ]lairetam detekcarb[ [(1)] A. provide for the educational needs of [linguistically and] culturally and linguistically different students [including Native American children and other students who may wish to participate] and other bilingual learners in [grades] kindergarten through [twelve, with] twelfth grade; provided that the department shall give priority [to be given] to programs [in grades] for culturally and linguistically different students in kindergarten through [three, in a district; (2) fund programs for culturally and linguistically different students in the state in grades kindergarten through three for which there is an identifiable need to improve the language capabilities of both English and the home language of these …
Sponsors
- E. Diane Torres-Velásquez (D, HD-030) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Not Printed
- : Action Postponed Indefinitely
Subjects: EDUCATION, PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Common questions
- What is HB116?
- HB116 is a bill in the New Mexico Legislature (2026 Regular Session): BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION ACT CHANGES.
- What does HB116 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to public schools; amending the bilingual multicultural education act; requiring eligible programs to use a home or heritage language as the primary medium of instruction or to use a language revitalization instruction model approved by the public education department; making conforming amendments.
- What is the status of HB116?
- Failed as of January 22, 2026. Latest action: Not Printed (January 22, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB116?
- E. Diane Torres-Velásquez (D, HD-030).
- Where is the official record for HB116?
- On the New Mexico Legislature website: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legType=B&legNo=116&year=26
Source: official New Mexico record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.