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HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 2
57
TH LEGISLATURE
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
FIRST SESSION
, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Susan K. Herrera and Art De La Cruz and D. Wonda Johnson
and Reena Szczepanski and Carrie Hamblen
A JOINT MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CONVENE A TASK
FORCE TO STUDY COMBINING STANDING AND INTERIM COMMITTEES INTO
COMMITTEES THAT FUNCTION DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE
INTERIM.
WHEREAS, there were twenty-six standing committees for the
2024 regular session; and
WHEREAS, the house of representatives had seventeen
standing committees for the 2024 regular session, including the
agriculture, acequias and water resources committee, the
appropriations and finance committee, the commerce and economic
development committee, the consumer and public affairs
committee, the education committee, the energy, environment and
natural resources committee, the government, elections and
Indian affairs committee, the health and human services
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committee, the judiciary committee, the labor, veterans' and
military affairs committee, the rural development, land grants
and cultural affairs committee, the taxation and revenue
committee, the transportation, public works and capital
improvements committee, the printing and supplies committee,
the rules and order of business committee, the enrolling and
engrossing A committee and the enrolling and engrossing B
committee; and
WHEREAS, the senate had nine standing committees for the
2024 regular session, including the conservation committee, the
education committee, the finance committee, the health and
public affairs committee, the Indian, rural and cultural
affairs committee, the judiciary committee, the rules
committee, the tax, business and transportation committee and
the committees' committee; and
WHEREAS, there were twenty-four interim committees for the
2024 legislative interim, including the New Mexico legislative
council, the legislative education study committee, the
legislative finance committee, the capitol buildings planning
commission, the courts, corrections and justice committee, the
economic and rural development and policy committee, the Indian
affairs committee, the interim legislative ethics committee,
the investments and pensions oversight committee, the land
grant committee, the legislative health and human services
committee, the military and veterans' affairs committee, the
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Mortgage Finance Authority Act oversight committee, the New
Mexico finance authority oversight committee, the public school
capital outlay oversight task force, the radioactive and
hazardous materials committee, the revenue stabilization and
tax policy committee, the science, technology and
telecommunications committee, the tobacco settlement revenue
oversight committee, the water and natural resources committee,
the transportation infrastructure revenue subcommittee, the
senate rules committee, the commission on uniform state laws
and the educational commission of the states; and
WHEREAS, interim committees are created by the New Mexico
legislative council and pursuant to statute and the
constitution of New Mexico; and
WHEREAS, having the same committees function during the
legislative session and the interim could increase the
efficiency of the legislative process, provide a clearer
demarcation and reduce overlap of subject matter, allow for
continuity in membership and staffing, provide for more
uniformity in references to committees in the law and make
endorsements of legislation during the interim more meaningful;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be
requested to convene an eleven-member task force to review and
study combining the standing and interim committees into
committees that function during the legislative session and the
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interim; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative
council be requested to appoint four members from the house of
representatives with two members from the majority party and
two members from the minority party, four members from the
senate with two members from the majority party and two members
from the minority party and three public members who have
expertise in legislative affairs to the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative
council be requested to appoint a chair of the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative
council be requested to appoint three people from the
legislative council service to staff the task force and prepare
the report; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to
include in its study consideration of how standing and interim
committees could be combined into year-round committees, the
staffing needs of combined committees, administration and
funding of the combined committees, the legislation needed to
combine the committees, the number of combined committees
needed, each committee's area of subject matter and how the
changes could be implemented in 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to
issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the
members of the New Mexico legislative council and the director
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of the legislative council service by November 30, 2025; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative
council and the directors of the legislative council service,
legislative finance committee and legislative education study
committee.
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