,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bbh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #bc1 #bjbe,mr4 
,lujn 7= himself & ,mr4 ,cornyn7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry  ,a  
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,f$]al ,agriculture  
,improvem5t & ,re=m ,act ( #aiif to     
ensure t produc]s :o rely on acequia    
sy/ems h access to dr\ght protections1 &
 = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is  
,act may be cit$ z ! ,acequia           
,communities ,emp[]$ by ,qualify+       
,upgrades = ,infra/ructure ,act4  #b4   
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,wat] deliv]y sy/ems kn[n z acequias1 or
 community dit*es1 are a c5turies-old   
sy/em us$ = wat] di/ribution4  7#b7 ,a  
comb9ation ( ,spani% & ,indig5\s        
irrigation me?ods1 acequias 7 exp&$ 9   
,new ,mexico dur+ ! #af? c5tury to all[ 
= f>m+ to su/a9 ! ne$s ( ! community4   
7#c7 ,acequias are a vital compon5t ( ! 
economy ( ! ,/ate ( ,new ,mexico 7ref]r$

 to 9 ?is section z ! ,/ate74  7#d7     
,acequias are a c5turies-old =m ( wat]  
gov]nance & are recogniz$ z political   
subdivisions ( ! ,/ate4  7#e7 ,acequias 
consi/ ( wat] rights hold]s1 (t5 call$  
p>ciantes1 :o are responsible = ! upkeep
 & ma9t5ance ( ! acequias & :o int]nally
 elect a bo>d to monitor & adm9i/]      
surface wat] rights4  7#f7 ,9 ! ,/ate1  
acequias h creat$ a cultural l&scape &  
way ( life c5t]$ ar\nd local            
agriculture1 wat] gov]nance1 & a cu/om (
 %>+ sc>ce wat]4  7#g7 ,acequias-- 7,a7 
play an integral role 9 ma9ta9+ =e/ &   
wat]%$ heal?2  7,b7 s]ve z examples (   
responsible l& & wat] /ew>d%ip by       
provid+ b5efits su* z gr\ndwat] re*>ge1 
flood att5uation1 & gr\ndwat]           
contam9ants filtration2 &  7,c7 support 
native vegetation & provide habitat =   
wildlife species4  7#h7 ,despite _!     
contribution to local food production & 
wat]%$ /ew>d%ip1 acequias are manag+    
already limit$ wat] res\rces "u         
conditions ( aridification1 *ang+       

irrigation & gr[+ seasons1 & encroa*m5t 
( invasive species4  7#i7 ,to address   
crop loss1 plant+ *all5ges1 & yield     
r$uctions1 p>ciantes rely on direct     
f9ancial assi/ance f ,dep>tm5t (        
,agriculture programs1 includ+ !        
non9sur$ crop disa/] assi/ance program  
e/abli%$ by section #aif ( ! ,f$]al     
,agriculture ,improvem5t & ,re=m ,act ( 
#aiif 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gccc74  #c4 ,ensur+
 f>m]s & ran*]s h access to dr\ght &    
disa/] protections ,section #aif7;c77#b7
 ( ! ,f$]al ,agriculture ,improvem5t &  
,re=m ,act ( #aiif 7#g ,u4,s4,c4        
#gccc7;c77#b77 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end
 ! foll[+3  7,c7 ,acequia sy/ems ,on    
mak+ a det]m9ation describ$ 9 subsection
 7a77#c7 = produc]s :o rely on acequia  
sy/ems1 ! ,secret>y %all provide        
assi/ance "u ?is section to ^? produc]s 
f all losses suff]$ z a result ( ! cause
 describ$ 9 subsection 7a77#c74  4  #d4 
,special use p]mits n requir$ = r\t9e   
ma9t5ance & m9or improvem5ts ( acequias 
7a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7    

,acequia ,! t]m acequia has ! mean+ ( ! 
t]m community dit* z t t]m is con/ru$ "u
 ,new ,mexico ,/at4 #gc-b-bg4  7#b7     
,community us] ,! t]m community us]     
means an employee1 contractor1 delegate1
 repres5tative1 volunte]1 or o!r        
au?oriz$ p]sonnel ( ! gov]n+ body ( an  
acequia4  7#c7 ,secret>y conc]n$ ,! t]m 
,secret>y conc]n$ means-- 7,a7 !        
,secret>y ( ,agriculture1 ) respect to  
l& "u ! jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y (    
,agriculture2 &  7,b7 ! ,secret>y ( !   
,int]ior1 ) respect to l& "u !          
jurisdiction ( ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior4
  7b7 ,prohibition ,a special use p]mit 
%all n be requir$ =-- 7#a7 ! pres5ce or 
use ( an acequia on ,f$]al l& or ! use (
 ! wat] !re92 or  7#b7 r\t9e ma9t5ance &
 m9or improvem5ts describ$ 9 subsection 
7c7 conduct$ by a community us] or      
gov]n+ body ( an acequia on an acequia  
on ,f$]al l&4  7c7 ,r\t9e ma9t5ance &   
m9or improvem5ts describ$ ,r\t9e        
ma9t5ance & m9or improvem5ts ref]r$ to 9
 subsection 7b77#b7 are-- 7#a7 clean+1  

ma9t5ance1 repair1 or replacem5t-9-k9d (
 infra/ructure2  7#b7 annual dit*       
clean+1 includ+ removal ( silt2 &  7#c7 
any o!r traditional activity t pres]ves 
! /ate ( ! acequia1 z agre$ to 9 writ+  
by ! ,secret>y conc]n$ & ! gov]n+ body (
 ! acequia4  #e4 ,dep>tm5t (            
,agriculture report+ ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s
 aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !   
,secret>y ( ,agriculture %all submit to 
! ,committee on ,agriculture1           
,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( ! ,s5ate & !     
,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se (  
,repres5tatives a report t includes !   
foll[+ in=mation3 7#a7 ,! numb] (       
agricultural produc]s 9 ! mo/ rec5t     
cal5d> ye> :o rely on acequia sy/ems or 
o!r traditional infra/ructure t is      
vuln]able to dr\ght conditions4  7#b7 ,!
 am\nt ( assi/ance provid$ "u ! non9sur$
 crop disa/] assi/ance program e/abli%$ 
by section #aif ( ! ,f$]al ,agriculture 
,improvem5t & ,re=m ,act ( #aiif 7#g    
,u4,s4,c4 #gccc7 to produc]s describ$ 9 
subsection 7c77#b77;,c7 ( t section1 9  

ea* c\nty1 dur+ ! mo/ rec5t cal5d> ye>4 
7#c7 ,an analysis ( ! ability (         
agricultural produc]s :o rely on acequia
 sy/ems or o!r traditional infra/ructure
 t is vuln]able to dr\ght conditions to 
access all programs adm9i/]$ by ! ,f>m  
,s]vice ,ag5cy & ! ,natural ,res\rces   
,cons]vation ,s]vice4  7#d7 ,a summ>y ( 
any ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture programs or
 initiatives 9 ! mo/ rec5t cal5d> ye> t 
provide te*nical or f9ancial assi/ance  
t>get$ to agricultural produc]s :o rely 
on acequia sy/ems or o!r traditional    
infra/ructure t is vuln]able to dr\ght  
conditions4