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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Moore

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/5/07

HM HJR 4

SHORT TITLE Limit 30-Day Session Bill Types

SB

ANALYST Fernandez

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Office of Attorney General (OAG)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Resolution 4 proposes to amend Article 4, Section 5 of the New Mexico constitution

which determines the circumstances when a bill is germane in an even-numbered year or 30 day

legislative session. HJR 4 proposes to amend the provision that currently limits bills drawn

pursuant to special messages from the governor to limit bills that address major disasters or

emergencies declared by the president of the United States drawn pursuant to special messages

from the governor.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

It is possible that fewer bills would result in a cost savings of staff time drafting and analyzing

bills. Additional savings may be realized in the printing and distribution of bills. It is

indeterminate at this time or the fiscal year in which a savings would materialize.

House Joint Resolution 4 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This proposal would significantly limit the number of bills that can be considered by the

legislature during a 30-day session by restricting the special messages of the governor to bills

that address major disasters or emergencies declared by the president of the United States.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Office of the Attorney General points out that phrase on page 2, lines 9-10, “bills limited to

addressing major disasters or emergencies declared by the president of the United States" is

unclear. Is a declaration by the president necessary for both major disasters and emergencies, or

just emergencies.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to Office of the Attorney General:

Currently, “the governor has the power to declare and take steps to address emergencies pursuant

to section 12-10-4 NMSA 1978."

CTF/nt