The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that the state's practice of buying textbooks for private and religious schools is unconstitutional.
The high court issued its ruling Thursday, reserving a previous Court of Appeals decision that said the practice was allowed.
Advocates of the program said that money for the books is governed by federal law, because the funds are provided by federal mineral leases. But half of the money the federal government receives from use of public lands is paid to the state.
Plaintiffs Cathy "Cate" Moses and Paul Weinbaum filed a lawsuit in 2012, claiming that the state's use of public money for private schools has taken money away from public schools.
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