REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM STUDY COMMITTEE.

WHEREAS, until the 2001 interim, the legislature had not studied the judiciary as an administrative system for over thirty years; and

WHEREAS, this lack of concentrated review has led to a piecemeal approach to systemic problems, and each year numerous, often conflicting, bills are introduced into the legislature to address singular parts of the system; and

WHEREAS, when the judicial system study committee was created by the New Mexico legislative council in June 2001, the committee recognized that a thorough judicial system study would take more than one interim; and

WHEREAS, the committee used the limited time available to it to gather basic information about the judicial system, knowing that further investigation is needed before it can recommend major systemic changes; and

WHEREAS, one critical area of study for the committee next interim is the judicial retirement systems and their funding sources and actuarial soundness;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to continue the judicial system study committee during the 2002 interim; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico legislative council.