Committee hears proposal to create statewide archaeological field school for workforce training; bill tabled because funding already in budget

House Bill 315 would create a statewide archaeological field‑school education program — a collaboration among the Department of Agriculture, the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Office of Archaeological Studies, and New Mexico State University — to train personnel to perform field surveys and support cultural‑resource clearance work.

Sponsor Representative Tarasas said the program would help address delays to soil‑and‑water conservation district projects, wildfire recovery and mitigation work, and other land projects that require archaeological clearances but face a shortage of trained personnel. Debbie Hughes of the Association of Conservation Districts told the committee the proposal could rapidly expand the pool of trained field workers and that cultural affairs and federal service archaeologists have expressed support.

Members discussed program design and outreach. Representative Chatfield and other members said federal triggers often require archaeological surveys, and the bill’s proponents said the field school could be roughly two to three months of mostly field training and might be coupled with workforce programs so trainees could be paid while receiving instruction. The sponsor noted an initial $300,000 in the budget and said she would work with other committees on program placement and funding details.

Because the proposal’s funding is included in the budget package, Representative Hernandez moved to table House Bill 315; Representative Dow seconded. With no recorded opposition, the committee tabled the bill while preserving the budget appropriation.

Ending: Lawmakers flagged the program as a potential regional workforce and wildfire‑mitigation resource; because funding is already in the budget the committee tabled the standalone bill to avoid duplication.