Navajo Nation Council to discuss proposed language fluency legislation next week

The Navajo Nation Council will discuss legislation proposed earlier this week that would change the laws requiring people who hold office to speak Navajo fluently next week during the Navajo Nation fall council meetings.

The legislation would try and remove language fluency requirements in the Navajo Nation Election Code for the nation’s president, vice president, council delegates, land board members, farm board members and district grazing committee members.

The legislation comes on the heels of a spat between potential Navajo Nation presidential candidates, who have attacked candidate Chris Deschene for not being able to “fluently” speak Navajo.

The Navajo Elections Board of Supervisors ruled 7-1 Monday that Deschene will be allowed on the ballot despite the challenges.

Oct. 21 will be the first day the council will discuss the proposed legislation. If approved, the measure will be sent to the president for authorization. If he doesn’t sign the measure, the council could override his veto.

It is still unclear how the measure would affect this November’s ballot if the measure is not passed, since the elections board already approved Deschene to be on the ballot.

There is also still an outstanding court case filed by several of Deschene’s opponents that could affect whether or not his name is on the ballot if the measure is not passed.

Read the original measure here, and Wednesday’s memo announcing the council’s decision to act on the measure here.