0001|                      SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 14
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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|                          JOHN ARTHUR SMITH
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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 6 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW
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0012|     MEXICO TO REFORM THE JUDICIAL SELECTION PROCESS REGARDING
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0013|     CITIZEN ELECTIONS OF JUSTICES AND JUDGES; AMENDING AND
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0014|     REPEALING SECTIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO.
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0015|     
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0016|     BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0017|          Section 1.  It is proposed to amend Article 6, Section 4
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0018|     of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
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0019|          "The supreme court of the state shall consist of <s>[at
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<s></s>0020| <s>    least]</s> five justices <s>[who]</s> <u>each of whom</u> shall be <s>[chosen
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<s></s>0021| <s>    as provided in this constitution]</s> <u>elected at the general
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<u></u>0022| <u>    election for a term of eight years, except as otherwise
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<u></u>0023| <u>    provided in this constitution</u>.  One of the justices shall be
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0024|     selected as chief justice as provided by law."
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0025|          Section 2.  It is proposed to amend Article 6, Section 12
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0001|     of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
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0002|           "The state shall be divided into judicial districts as
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0003|     may be provided by law.  One or more judges shall be <s>[chosen]</s>
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0004|     <u>elected</u> for each district <s>[as provided in this
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<s></s>0005| <s>    constitution]</s> <u>by the qualified electors thereof at a general
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<u></u>0006| <u>    election for a term of six years, except as otherwise provided
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<u></u>0007| <u>    in this constitution.</u>"
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0008|          Section 3.  It is proposed to amend Article 6, Section 26
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0009|     of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
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0010|          "The legislature shall establish a magistrate court to
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0011|     exercise limited original jurisdiction as may be provided by
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0012|     law.  The magistrate court shall be composed of such districts
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0013|     and elective magistrates as may be provided by law. 
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0014|     Magistrates shall be qualified electors of, and reside in,
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0015|     their respective districts, and the legislature shall prescribe
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0016|     other qualifications.  Magistrates shall receive compensation
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0017|     as may be provided by law, which compensation shall not be
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0018|     diminished during their term of office.  Metropolitan court
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0019|     judges shall be <s>[chosen as provided in this constitution]</s>
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0020|     <u>elected by the qualified electors of the metropolitan court
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<u></u>0021| <u>    district, as provided by law, at a general election for a term
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<u></u>0022| <u>    of four years, except as otherwise provided in this
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<u></u>0023| <u>    constitution</u>."
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0024|          Section 4.  It is proposed to amend Article 6, Section 28
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0025|     of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
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0001|          "The court of appeals shall consist of not less than seven
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0002|     judges <s>[who]</s> <u>each of whom</u> shall be <s>[chosen as provided in
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<s></s>0003| <s>    this constitution whose]</s> <u>elected at the general election for
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<u></u>0004| <u>    a term of eight years, except as otherwise provided in this
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<u></u>0005| <u>    constitution.  Their</u> qualifications shall be the same as those
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0006|     of justices of the supreme court and <s>[whose]</s> <u>their</u>
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0007|     compensation shall be as provided by law. <s>[The increased
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<s></s>0008| <s>    qualifications provided by this 1988 amendment shall not apply
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<s></s>0009| <s>    to court of appeals judges serving at the time this amendment
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<s></s>0010| <s>    passes or elected at the general election in 1988.]</s>
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0011|          Three judges of the court of appeals shall constitute a
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0012|     quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of those
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0013|     participating must concur in any judgment of the court.
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0014|          When necessary, the chief justice of the supreme court may
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0015|     designate any justice of the supreme court or any district
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0016|     judge of the state to act as a judge of the court of appeals,
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0017|     and the chief justice may designate any judge of the court of
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0018|     appeals to hold court in any district, or to act as a justice
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0019|     of the supreme court."
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0020|          Section 5.  It is proposed to amend Article 6 of the
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0021|     constitution of New Mexico by repealing Sections 33 and 34.
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0022|          Section 6.  The amendment proposed by this resolution
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0023|     shall be submitted to the people for their approval or
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0024|     rejection at the next general election or at any special
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0025|     election prior to that date which may be called for that
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0001|     purpose.
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0002|                                    
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0003|   
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0004|                      FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
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0005|                        FIRST SESSION, 1997
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0006|   
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0007|   
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0008|                                                   March 6, 1997
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0009|   
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0010|   Mr. President:
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0011|   
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0012|       Your RULES COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
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0013|   
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0014|                     SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 14
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0015|   
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0016|   has had it under consideration and reports same with
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0017|   recommendation that it DO PASS.
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0018|   
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0019|                                Respectfully submitted,
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0020|   
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0021|   
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0022|   
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0023|                                
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0024|   __________________________________
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0025|                                Gloria Howes, Chairman 
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0001|   
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0002|   
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0003|   
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0004|   Adopted_______________________   Not
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0005|   Adopted_______________________
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0006|             (Chief Clerk)                          (Chief Clerk)
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0007|   
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0008|   
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0009|   
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0010|                     Date ________________________
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0011|   
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0012|   
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0013|   The roll call vote was <u> 5 </u> For <u> 0 </u> Against
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0014|           Yes:    5
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0015|           No:     0
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0016|                Excused:      Altamirano, Gorham
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0017|   Abstained: Adair
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0018|   
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0019|   
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0020|   SJR14RU1
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