HOUSE BILL 489

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

INTRODUCED BY

Andrea Romero

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO WATER; CHANGING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE POSITION OF STATE ENGINEER.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 72-2-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1907, Chapter 49, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

     "72-2-1. APPOINTMENT--REMOVAL--QUALIFICATIONS--DUTIES--OFFICE--PRIVATE PRACTICE PROHIBITED.--There shall be a "state engineer" who shall be a technically qualified and registered professional engineer under the Engineering and [Land] Surveying Practice Act or a qualified and appropriately credentialed hydrologist, geohydrologist, geologist, environmental scientist or attorney with at least ten years of experience and shall be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. [He] The state engineer shall hold office for the term of two years or until [his] a successor has been appointed and has qualified. [He] The state engineer is subject to removal only for cause. [He] The state engineer has general supervision of waters of the state and of the measurement, appropriation, distribution thereof and such other duties as required. The salary of the state engineer shall be set by the governor, and [he] the state engineer shall receive necessary traveling expenses while away from [his] the office of the state engineer in the discharge of official duties pursuant to the provisions of the Per Diem and Mileage Act. The "office of the state engineer" shall be located at the seat of government. [He] The state engineer shall not engage in any private practice."

- 2 -