Students ask legislature to recognize insect education; committee gives memorial a due pass

Representative Ortez introduced House Memorial 26 and brought four fifth-grade students from Monte Vista Elementary to describe why the House should recognize insect education.

"My name is Asha Pierce. I am 10 years old and in fifth grade at Monte Vista Elementary School in Albuquerque," Asha told the committee, asking members to "recommend that state agencies take free workshops sponsored by Wild Friends." Classmate Anya Kerr said monarch butterflies are endangered and help pollinate food, and Audrey Eldred told the committee that "75% of the floral and flowering plants rely on pollinators." Max Gassner added that insect populations are declining and urged support for the education memorial.

Committee members asked clarifying questions. Representative Pettigrew asked whether the memorial would restrict recreational collection of insects for bait; presenters and the sponsor said it would not. Representative Ortez said Wild Friends is centered at the University of New Mexico and that other institutions such as NMSU might be involved in outreach.

Representative Rubio moved a do-pass recommendation and Representative Herrera seconded. The committee approved the memorial "by unanimous consent," giving House Memorial 26 a do-pass recommendation to the next stage.

The memorial is nonbinding: it urges recognition and agency participation rather than creating statutory obligations or funding. The committee recorded the due-pass motion by unanimous consent and moved on to subsequent agenda items.