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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

**See Fiscal Implications Section of this report.

Conflicts with House Joint Resolutions 21 and 28.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Resolution 14 amends Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution of New Mexico to increase terms of members of the House of Representatives to four years and of members of the Senate to six years. The legislation also proposes staggered terms for state legislators, so that ½ of the House members and of the Senate members are elected to office at each general election. Those staggered terms shall be provided by the Legislature in law.

Significant Issues

Currently, members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and members of the Senate serve four-year terms. No members serve staggered terms.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

If passed, this question would appear on the ballot in the November 2002 general election. The Secretary of State reports it costs $30.0 to place an item on the ballot. Included in the cost is: (1) the publishing of constitutional amendments in English and Spanish for four consecutive weeks in one newspaper in each county of the state; (2) the oral translation and radio broadcast into the Native American languages of Tewa, Tiwa, Towa, Keres, Zuni, Mescalero Apache, Jicarilla Apache and Navajo; and (3) the printing of amendments booklets in English and Spanish (including Spanish language translation cost) and distribution to all county clerks (100,000 booklets were printed for 2000 general election). Therefore, there would be a nonrecurring cost to the general fund of $30.0 in FY03. This bill does not contain the appropriation necessary to fund these costs.

CONFLICT

House Joint Resolution 21 amends the same section of the constitution to limit the terms of senators to four (16 years total) and of representatives to eight (16 years total).

House Joint Resolution 28 amends the same section of the constitution to limit the terms of senators to three (12 years total) and of representatives to six (12 years total).

DKB/njw:ar