By: NP staff | The Navajo Post | May 30

WINDOW ROCK – The Navajo Nation Council held a Special Session on May 25 to consider eight legislation’s, said Jerome Clark in a press release.

What got approved, Navajo legislatures amended the Navajo Nation Fiscal Year 2012 Comprehensive Budget to appropriate projected revenues.

According to the legislative branch, six legislation’s sought supplemental funding from Undesignated Unreserved Fund Balance (UUFB); and the final legislation amended the Navajo Nation Election Code.

Here is what was listed, by council delegates.

Legislation 0049-12, sponsored by Council Delegate LoRenzo Bates, approved funding from the UUFB in the amount of $12.9 million for the head start program, solid waste management program, air transportation department, Navajo transit system, facilities maintenance administration building one, Navajo Nation Chapters, Chinle judicial district, Window Rock judicial district, Office of the Speaker, Navajo Nation chapter district grazing officials, Eastern Navajo Land Board, and the Navajo Nation Farm Board.

Council Delegate Danny Simpson amended legislation 0049-12 to include Navajo Veterans in the legislation and to increase the funding amount from $12.9 million to $16.1 million for the overall legislation.

The increase to $16.1 million are accounted for in the following: an additional $1 million for Navajo Nation Chapters; an additional $744,460 for Navajo Nation Chapters, which includes District Grazing Officials, Eastern Navajo Land Board, and Navajo Nation Farm Board; and $1.5 million was added for Navajo Nation Chapters in order to help Navajo Veterans.

The $3.2 million increase is designated for Navajo Nation Chapters. The amendments for the increases and the addition of funding for veterans passed with nineteen (19) supporting and zero (0) opposing.

The final vote on legislation 0049-12 with amendments was nineteen (19) supporting and zero (0) opposing.

Legislation 0030-12, sponsored by Council Delegate Bates, approved $2.8 million from the UUFB to provide direct service to local chapters and communities for the construction of waterlines, storage tanks, rehabilitating earthen dams, drilling, and engineering and equipment repairs.

The legislation passed with fifteen (15) supporting and two (2) opposing.

Legislation 0125-12, primary sponsor Council Delegate Katherine Benally, approved supplemental funding from the UUFB in the amount of $2.7 million to the Department of Agriculture for a six month continuous feral livestock roundup.

The legislation passed with thirteen (13) supporting and zero (0) opposing.

Legislation 0491-11, primary sponsor Council Delegate Charles Damon, III, amends the Navajo Nation Election Code at 11 N.C.C. §6 and §8 by authorizing four terms for school board positions and authorizing school board members to serve on one school board.

An amendment to the legislation will amend 11 N.C.C. §6 to allow board members to serve four consecutive terms and will also prevent former employees within the last five years from becoming a new school board member, which could prevent conflict of retaliation.

The legislation passed with eleven (11) supporting and two (2) opposing.