0001| SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 16 | 0002| 42ND LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND | 0003| SESSION, 1996 | 0004| INTRODUCED BY | 0005| ELIZABETH T. STEFANICS | 0006| | 0007| | 0008| | 0009| | 0010| | 0011| A JOINT MEMORIAL | 0012| REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION TO | 0013| INVESTIGATE AND PREPARE A REPORT ON METHODS OF RURAL ELECTRIC | 0014| COOPERATIVE MEMBERSHIP VOTING AND PARTICIPATION. | 0015| | 0016| WHEREAS, rural electric cooperatives provide electric | 0017| service throughout the state to rural residents and small | 0018| business and industrial customers; and | 0019| WHEREAS, the New Mexico public utility commission has | 0020| supervisory and other regulatory authority over the rural | 0021| electric cooperatives doing business in this state; and | 0022| WHEREAS, the consumers of rural electric cooperatives are | 0023| member-owners of the cooperative providing electric service to | 0024| themselves; and | 0025| WHEREAS, rural electric cooperatives are identified as | 0001| being electric service providers that are representative of | 0002| | 0003| their consumer-members by the election of each cooperative's | 0004| board of trustees from and by the cooperative's membership; and | 0005| WHEREAS, impartial, fair and representative methods of | 0006| voting and participation are necessary in the rural electric | 0007| cooperative program and operation, particularly in the election | 0008| of trustees and in the adoption of governing bylaws; and | 0009| WHEREAS, the rural electric cooperatives are utilizing | 0010| various methods of voting and participation by consumers | 0011| throughout the state, some of which may not be fair, considering | 0012| the practicalities of voting and participation by the consumers | 0013| of each individual rural electric cooperative; | 0014| NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE | 0015| STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico public utility | 0016| commission be requested to investigate the governing statutes, | 0017| bylaws and practices of the state's rural electric cooperatives | 0018| and identify the most fair, representative and practical methods | 0019| of voting and participation in the election of trustees and the | 0020| adoption of bylaws by the member-consumers of the state's rural | 0021| electric cooperatives; and | 0022| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico public utility | 0023| commission prepare a report on its investigation and | 0024| recommendations and submit the report by December 1, 1996 to the | 0025| appropriate interim legislative committee; and | 0001| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent | 0002| to the New Mexico public utility commission. | 0003|  |