HOUSE RESOLUTION 1

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

INTRODUCED BY

Thomas C. Taylor

A RESOLUTION

IMPLORING THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO WORK MORE DILIGENTLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED DURING THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FIFTIETH LEGISLATURE.

     WHEREAS, the house of representatives convened on September 6, 2011 in a special session called by the governor to consider many pressing issues facing the state of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, those issues include redrawing the state's political districts, limiting the issuance of New Mexico driver's licenses to bona fide New Mexico residents who are in the United States legally, restoring the state's unemployment insurance fund to fiscal solvency and granting the chief executive and local governments the authority to ban the sale and use of fireworks during times of extreme fire danger; and

     WHEREAS, legislation to address these issues has been introduced in the house of representatives, and that legislation deserves the house's immediate attention; and

     WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the house of representatives to work diligently to address these and other issues during the limited time available during this special session; and

     WHEREAS, in the five days that the legislature has been in session through September 10, 2011, the committees assigned to hear the introduced legislation to limit the issuance of driver's licenses, restore the financial viability of the unemployment insurance fund and protect the public from potentially dangerous fireworks have not met; and

     WHEREAS, this legislation is clearly within the scope of the proclamation that the governor issued to convene the special session; and

     WHEREAS, while the house voters and elections committee has met to consider redistricting legislation, the committee has met only twice, for a total of about three hours; and

     WHEREAS, while the limited meetings of the house voters and elections committee have taken the time of the thirteen members of the committee, the committee's limited work to date has not impeded the ability of other committees to meet; and

     WHEREAS, during the five days that the house of representatives has been convened during this special session, it has been in session for only a total of no more than ten hours; and

     WHEREAS, each time that the house has recessed during the first special session of the fiftieth legislature, it has been upon a motion by the majority floor leader; and

     WHEREAS, the total time that the house of representatives and the house voters and elections committee has met through September 10 is no more than thirteen hours, for an average of well under three hours a day; and

     WHEREAS, under the rules of the house of representatives, committee chairs have the sole responsibility and authority to convene committee meetings;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the chairs of the committees to which introduced legislation has been referred be directed to immediately schedule meetings to hear that legislation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the house of representatives be committed, from this point forward, to working diligently and expeditiously to conclude its work on the important issues before it.

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