A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM STUDY COMMITTEE.

WHEREAS, until the 2001 interim, the legislature had not studied the judiciary as an administrative system for thirty years; and

WHEREAS, this lack of concentrated review has led to a piecemeal approach to systematic problems, and each year numerous, often conflicting, bills are introduced into the legislature to address singular parts of the system; and

WHEREAS, when the judicial system study committee was created by the New Mexico legislative council in June 2001, the committee recognized that a thorough judicial system study would take more than one or two interims; and

WHEREAS, one critical area of study for the committee next interim is the continuation of its study of the judicial retirement systems and their funding sources and actuarial soundness;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to continue the judicial system study committee during the 2003 interim; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico legislative council.