House Joint Memorial 2

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 2

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Susan K. Herrera and Art De La Cruz and D. Wonda Johnson

and Reena Szczepanski and Carrie Hamblen

 

 

 

 

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY COMBINING STANDING AND INTERIM COMMITTEES INTO COMMITTEES THAT FUNCTION DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE INTERIM.

 

     WHEREAS, there were twenty-six standing committees for the 2024 regular session; and

     WHEREAS, the house of representatives had seventeen standing committees for the 2024 regular session, including the agriculture, acequias and water resources committee, the appropriations and finance committee, the commerce and economic development committee, the consumer and public affairs committee, the education committee, the energy, environment and natural resources committee, the government, elections and Indian affairs committee, the health and human services committee, the judiciary committee, the labor, veterans' and military affairs committee, the rural development, land grants and cultural affairs committee, the taxation and revenue committee, the transportation, public works and capital improvements committee, the printing and supplies committee, the rules and order of business committee, the enrolling and engrossing A committee and the enrolling and engrossing B committee; and

     WHEREAS, the senate had nine standing committees for the 2024 regular session, including the conservation committee, the education committee, the finance committee, the health and public affairs committee, the Indian, rural and cultural affairs committee, the judiciary committee, the rules committee, the tax, business and transportation committee and the committees' committee; and

     WHEREAS, there were twenty-four interim committees for the 2024 legislative interim, including the New Mexico legislative council, the legislative education study committee, the legislative finance committee, the capitol buildings planning commission, the courts, corrections and justice committee, the economic and rural development and policy committee, the Indian affairs committee, the interim legislative ethics committee, the investments and pensions oversight committee, the land grant committee, the legislative health and human services committee, the military and veterans' affairs committee, the Mortgage Finance Authority Act oversight committee, the New Mexico finance authority oversight committee, the public school capital outlay oversight task force, the radioactive and hazardous materials committee, the revenue stabilization and tax policy committee, the science, technology and telecommunications committee, the tobacco settlement revenue oversight committee, the water and natural resources committee, the transportation infrastructure revenue subcommittee, the senate rules committee, the commission on uniform state laws and the educational commission of the states; and

     WHEREAS, interim committees are created by the New Mexico legislative council and pursuant to statute and the constitution of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, having the same committees function during the legislative session and the interim could increase the efficiency of the legislative process, provide a clearer demarcation and reduce overlap of subject matter, allow for continuity in membership and staffing, provide for more uniformity in references to committees in the law and make endorsements of legislation during the interim more meaningful;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to convene an eleven-member task force to review and study combining the standing and interim committees into committees that function during the legislative session and the interim; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to appoint four members from the house of representatives with two members from the majority party and two members from the minority party, four members from the senate with two members from the majority party and two members from the minority party and three public members who have expertise in legislative affairs to the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to appoint a chair of the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to appoint three people from the legislative council service to staff the task force and prepare the report; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to include in its study consideration of how standing and interim committees could be combined into year-round committees, the staffing needs of combined committees, administration and funding of the combined committees, the legislation needed to combine the committees, the number of combined committees needed, each committee's area of subject matter and how the changes could be implemented in 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the members of the New Mexico legislative council and the director of the legislative council service by November 30, 2025; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council and the directors of the legislative council service, legislative finance committee and legislative education study committee.

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