HOUSE BILL 203

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Rebecca Dow and Gail Armstrong

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT; CHANGING THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY OF MEMBERS OF THE SPACEPORT AUTHORITY; PROVIDING QUALIFICATIONS FOR SPACEPORT AUTHORITY MEMBERS.

 

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

     SECTION 1. Section 58-31-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005, Chapter 128, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "58-31-4. SPACEPORT AUTHORITY CREATED--MEMBERSHIP.--

          A. The "spaceport authority" is created. The authority is a state agency and is administratively attached to the economic development department.

          B. The authority shall consist of seven voting and two nonvoting members. [six of whom] With the consent of the senate, two shall be appointed by the governor [with the consent of the senate] and one each shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority floor leader of the senate and the minority floor leader of the house of representatives; provided that one of the appointed members shall be a resident of Sierra county. No more than three appointed members shall belong to the same political party. The seventh member shall be the secretary of economic development or the secretary's designee. The lieutenant governor shall serve as a nonvoting ex-officio member. The executive director of the authority shall serve as a nonvoting member. The chair may appoint a nonvoting advisory committee to provide advice and recommendations on authority matters.

          C. The members appointed by the governor shall be residents of the state and shall serve for terms of four years, except for the initial appointees who shall be appointed so that the terms are staggered after initial appointment. Initial appointees shall serve terms as follows: two members for two years, two members for three years and two members for four years. A member shall have experience in at least one of the following: the aerospace or aviation industry; bond financing, public finance or capital project funding; or practicing law or academic experience in aerospace, aviation, public infrastructure, regulatory compliance, public-private partnerships or a relevant science.

          D. Appointed voting members of the authority shall be reimbursed for per diem and mileage in accordance with the provisions of the Per Diem and Mileage Act that apply to nonsalaried public officers, unless a different provision of that act applies to a specific member, in which case that member shall be paid under the applicable provision. Members and advisors shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance for serving as a member of or advisor to the authority. 

          E. The secretary of economic development or the secretary's designee shall serve as the chair of the authority. Authority members shall elect any other officers from the membership that the authority determines appropriate.

          F. The chair, four other authority voting members appointed by the chair and the executive director of the authority shall constitute the spaceport authority executive committee. The committee shall have powers and duties as delegated to it by the authority.

          G. If a vacancy occurs among the appointed voting members of the authority, the [governor shall appoint a replacement] vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment to serve out the term of the former member. If an appointed member's term expires, the member shall continue to serve until the member is reappointed or another person is appointed and confirmed by the senate to replace the member.

          H. The authority shall meet at the call of the chair and shall meet in regular session at least once every three months.

          I. The authority shall maintain written minutes of all meetings of the authority and maintain other appropriate records, including financial transaction records in compliance with law and adequate to provide an accurate record for audit purposes pursuant to the Audit Act."

     SECTION 2. TEMPORARY PROVISION.--Members serving on the spaceport authority immediately prior to the effective date of this act shall continue to serve until the members' existing terms expire. Upon the expiration of each such term, vacancies shall be filled according to the following schedule:

          A. the two seats with four-year initial terms shall thereafter be appointed one each by the speaker of the house of representatives and minority floor leader of the house of representatives;

          B. the two seats with three-year initial terms shall thereafter be appointed one each by the president pro tempore of the senate and the governor; and

          C. the two seats with two-year initial terms shall thereafter be appointed one each by the minority floor leader of the senate and the governor.

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2026.