SENATE BILL 476

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Phil A. Griego

AN ACT

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT; AMENDING A SECTION OF CHAPTER 29, ARTICLE 2 NMSA 1978 TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR COLLEGE CREDITS AS A QUALIFICATION TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 29-2-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1941, Chapter 147, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

     "29-2-6. QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS.--

          A. Members of the New Mexico state police, except the chief, shall: 

                (1) at the time of their appointment, be citizens of the United States;

                (2) at the time of their appointment, have reached twenty-one years of age;

                [(3) except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, at the time of their appointment, have completed at least sixty hours of college credit;

                (4)] (3) be of good moral character and not have been convicted of a felony or infamous crime in the courts of this state or other state or any country or in the federal courts; and

                [(5)] (4) pass a physical examination the New Mexico state police may require.

          [B. Notwithstanding the requirement of Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section, the chief may appoint a member of the New Mexico state police who has at least thirty hours of college credit, and the chief shall determine an appropriate time period after appointment for the member to complete the additional thirty hours of college credit required.

          C.] B. A person shall not be commissioned a member of the New Mexico state police who is related by blood or marriage within the fourth degree to a member of the public safety advisory commission."

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