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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

** See Fiscal Implications section of this report.

Conflicts with Senate Joint Resolution 14

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Resolution 13 amends Arcticle 4, Section 5 of the Constitution of New Mexico to allow all regular legislative sessions to be 60 days without restrictions and to request a 30-day recess after the first 30 days.

Significant Issues

Currently, New Mexico has 60-day sessions in odd-numbered years and 30-day sessions in even-numbered years. The 30-day sessions are restricted to (1) budgets, appropriations and revenue bills; (2) bills drawn pursuant to special messages of the governor; and (3) bills of the last previous regular session vetoed by the governor.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

If passed, this question would appear on the ballot in the November 2002 general election. Should the question be approved by the voters, the change would not make a fiscal impact until the 2004 Legislature, the first time a 30-day session would change into a 60-day session. Expenditures of the Legislature for the years we would of had 30-day sessions (even-numbered years) would roughly increase by $2.5 to $3 million dollars. The change in the constitution will probably not significantly impact the Legislature's expenses in odd-numbered years. There may be some start-up/wind-down costs related to the 30-day recess.

Finally, 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 legislation does not include an appropriation needed to fund these costs.

CONFLICT

Senate Joint Resolution 14 amends Article 4, Section 5 of the Constitution of New Mexico to shorten the length of 60-day sessions to 45 days and of 30-day sessions to 25 days. The conditions currently imposed for the 30-day sessions remain intact for the 25-day sessions.

DKB/njw:ar