0001|                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4
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0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          DELORES C. WRIGHT
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                          A JOINT RESOLUTION
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0011|     PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4, SECTION 4 OF THE
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0012|     CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO INCREASE TERMS OF MEMBERS OF THE
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0013|     HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO FOUR YEARS AND OF MEMBERS OF THE
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0014|     SENATE TO SIX YEARS AND TO PROVIDE FOR STAGGERED TERMS FOR
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0015|     STATE LEGISLATURES.
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0016|     
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0017|     BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0018|          Section 1.  It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 4
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0019|     of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
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0020|          "<u>Effective with the 2000 general election</u>, members of
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0021|     the legislature shall be elected as follows:  <s>[those senators
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<s></s>0022| <s>    from Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, DeBaca, Grant, Lea, Lincoln,
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<s></s>0023| <s>    Luna, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Socorro, Taos, Torrance,
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<s></s>0024| <s>    Union and Valencia counties for a term of six years starting
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<s></s>0025| <s>    January 1, 1961, and after serving such terms shall be  elected
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<s></s>0001| <s>    for a term of four years thereafter; those senators from all
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<s></s>0002| <s>    other counties for the]</s> <u>senators for</u> terms of <s>[four]</s> <u>six</u>
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0003|     years, and members of the house of representatives for <s>[a term
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<s></s>0004| <s>    of two]</s> <u>terms of four</u> years.  <s>[They]</s> <u>The legislature
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<u></u>0005| <u>    shall provide by law for staggered terms of office so that one-
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<u></u>0006| <u>    half of the membership of the house of representatives and one-
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<u></u>0007| <u>    third of the membership of the senate shall be elected to
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<u></u>0008| <u>    office each general election.  Members of the legislature</u>
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0009|     shall be elected on the day provided by law for holding the
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0010|     general election of state officers or representatives in
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0011|     congress.  If a vacancy occurs in the office of senator or
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0012|     member of the house of representatives, for any reason, the
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0013|     county commissioners of the county wherein the vacancy occurs
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0014|     shall fill such vacancy by appointment.
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0015|          Such legislative appointments as provided in this section
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0016|     shall be for a term ending on December 31, subsequent to the
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0017|     next succeeding general election."
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0018|          Section 2.  The amendment proposed by this resolution
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0019|     shall be submitted to the people for their approval or
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0020|     rejection at the next general election or at any special
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0021|     election prior to that date which may be called for that
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0022|     purpose.
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0023|                              
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