SENATE BILL 587

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

John M. Sapien

AN ACT

RELATING TO COUNTIES; REVISING THE POPULATION ACCOUNTING BASIS FOR CLASSIFYING COUNTIES; CHANGING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SALARY CLASSIFICATION.

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

     Section 1. Section 4-44-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1957, Chapter 196, Section 1) is amended to read:

     "4-44-1. CLASSIFICATION FOR SALARY PURPOSES.--

          A. For the purpose of fixing salaries of county officers, the several counties of the state, except "H" class counties, are hereby classified as follows:

                (1) those having a final, full assessed valuation of over seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) and having a population of one hundred thousand persons or more as determined by the [last official] most current annual population data or estimate available from the United States census bureau, as class "A" counties;

                (2) those having a final, full assessed valuation in excess of seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) with a population less than one hundred thousand persons as determined by the [last official] most current annual population data or estimate available from the United States census bureau, as class "B" counties;

                (3) those having a final, full assessed valuation in excess of forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) with a population less than one hundred thousand persons as determined by the [last official] most current annual population data or estimate available from the United States census bureau, as class "C" counties;

                (4) those having a final, full assessed valuation of over fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000), as counties of the first class;

                (5) those having a final, full assessed valuation of [eight and one-fourth million dollars] eight million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($8,250,000) and under fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000), as counties of the second class;

                (6) those having a final, full assessed valuation of [six and one-half million dollars] six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) and under [eight and one-fourth million dollars] eight million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($8,250,000), as counties of the third class;

               (7) those having a final, full assessed valuation of [four and three-fourths million dollars] four million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($4,750,000) and under [six and one-half million dollars] six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000), as counties of the fourth class; and

               (8) those having a final, full assessed valuation of less than [four and three-fourths million dollars] four million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($4,750,000), as counties of the fifth class.

          B. The assessed valuation for each year shall be the full valuation as finally fixed for [said] that year."

     Section 2. Section 4-44-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1915, Chapter 12, Section 19, as amended) is amended to read:

     "4-44-2. BIENNIAL DETERMINATION OF CLASSIFICATION.--From and after January 1, 1962, the classification of counties shall be fixed and governed by the assessed valuation as finally fixed for the preceding year. Provided, one hundred twenty days after January 1, 1962 and one hundred twenty days from January 1 of each second year thereafter, the classification shall be determined by the secretary of finance and administration from the assessed valuation of each county as finally fixed for the preceding year, and the secretary of finance and administration upon making the determination shall notify the board of county commissioners of each county of the class within which each of the counties of this state falls according to the classification, and the classification as so fixed and determined by the secretary of finance and administration shall govern the salaries of the county officers for [the] two years beginning [January 1, 1963 and each two years thereafter] July 1 of the year the classification is determined."

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