HM 31 — "CITIZEN SCIENCE DAY"

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 31REQUESTING 57THEXPANSION LEGISLATUREOF -THE STATEUSE OF NEWMEXICOCITIZEN -SCIENCE FIRSTBY SESSIONSTATE 2025AGENCIES INTRODUCEDAND BYREQUESTING LindaTHE SerratoGOVERNOR andTO JohnDECLARE BlockA and"CITIZEN D.SCIENCE DAY".

Wonda Johnson 6 8WHEREAS, 10New AMexico MEMORIALis REQUESTINGa EXPANSIONbeautiful OFstate THEthat USEis OFrich CITIZENin SCIENCEnatural BYresources STATEand AGENCIESfilled ANDwith REQUESTINGindividuals THEwho GOVERNORtake TOgreat DECLAREpride Ain "CITIZENthe SCIENCEstate's DAY".environment;

15and WHEREAS, New Mexico is a beautiful state thatagencies ismanage richnearly infifty-three naturalmillion resourcesacres andof filledland withbut individualslack whothe takeresources greatto efully tmonitor 17this prideland; in the state's environment;

and wWHEREAS, lwild nfriends dis 18a WHEREAS,unique, stateaward-winning agenciescivics manageeducation nearlyprogram fifty-threeat millionthe =university =of 19New Mexico school of law whose mission is to provide a lstatewide, acresexperiential ofeducation landthat butintegrates lackcivics theand resourceswildlife law to fullyhelp monitorstudents thisunderstand ithe ademocratic eprocess, rdevelop 20citizenship land;skills and contribute to wildlife conservation;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, wild friends is a unique, award-winning civics d r e 22 education program at the university of New Mexico school of law c e s k 23 whose mission is to provide a statewide, experiential education e a n b 24 that integrates civics and wildlife law to help students u [ understand the democratic process, develop citizenship skills .230128.1 and contribute to wildlife conservation;

and HM 31 Page 1 WHEREAS, citizen science can provide valuable data while fostering scientific literacy and community engagement, ensuring that the state thrives through future generations of environmental stewards;

and WHEREAS, citizen science can engage the youth, provide exposure to a variety of science-based careers and expand STEM-STEM-based based education opportunities;

and WHEREAS, in the 2024 legislative session, the house of e t 17 representatives passed House Memorial 34, which requested w l n d 18 several state agencies to create a working group to develop = = 19 a l recommendations for expanding the use of citizen science in New i a e r 20 Mexico, and this working group prepared a report and is taking a t m m 21 steps to integrate citizen science into state agencies;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, encouraging other state agencies to use citizen c e s k 23 science can help more people, especially the youth, to become e a n b 24 aware, involved and concerned about real world issues and help u [ time-constrained scientists to collect data;

and .230128.1 - 2 - WHEREAS, establishing a "Citizen Science Day" will help educate other state agencies and the public about the benefits of citizen science;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the house of representatives recognize the importance of citizen science and its role in engaging the youth and the public in science HM 31 Page 2 and the outdoors and assisting state agencies in collecting valuable data that are otherwise difficult to collect;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department, the New Mexico outdoor recreation division of the e t 17 economic development department, the higher education w l n d 18 department and the New Mexico department of agriculture be = = 19 a l requested to review the working group report titled i a e r 20 "Recommendations to Expand the Use of Citizen Science in State a t m m 21 Agencies in New Mexico" and provide recommendations to d r e 22 integrate citizen science, especially for the youth, into the c e s k 23 agencies;

and e a n b 24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be u [ transmitted to the public education department, the New Mexico .230128.1 - 3 - outdoor recreation division of the economic development department, the higher education department and the New Mexico department of agriculture for appropriate distribution.

-HM 431 -Page 63 825 10 12 14 16 e t 17 w l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .230128.1