SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 14

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

INTRODUCED BY

Eric G. Griego

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW

MEXICO TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO SERVE AS LEGISLATORS.

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

     Section 1. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 3 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:

          "A. Senators shall not be less than twenty-five years of age and representatives not less than twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. If any senator or representative permanently removes [his] the senator's or representative's residence from or maintains no residence in the district from which [he] the senator or representative was elected, then [he] the senator or representative shall be deemed to have resigned and [his] a successor shall be selected as provided in Article 4, Section 4 of [this article] the constitution of New Mexico. No person shall be eligible to serve in the legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries public and officers of the militia who receive no salary and except employees of state educational institutions pursuant to Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico.

          B. The senate shall be composed of no more than forty-two members elected from single-member districts.

          C. The house of representatives shall be composed of no more than seventy members elected from single-member districts.

          D. Once following publication of the official report of each federal decennial census hereafter conducted, the legislature may by statute reapportion its membership."

     Section 2. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 28 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:

     "No member of the legislature shall, during the term for which [he] the member was elected, be appointed to any civil office in the state, nor shall [he] the member within one year thereafter be appointed to any civil office created, or the emoluments of which were increased during such term; nor shall any member of the legislature during the term for which [he] the member was elected, nor within one year thereafter, be interested directly or indirectly in any contract with the state or any municipality thereof, [which] that was authorized by any law passed during such term. For the purposes of this section, civil office does not include employees of state educational institutions pursuant to Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico."

     Section 3. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date that may be called for that purpose.

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