New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SB114 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	underscored material = new
2	2	[bracketed material] = delete
3	3	1
4	4	2
5	5	3
6	6	4
7	7	5
8	8	6
9	9	7
10	10	8
11	11	9
12	12	10
13	13	11
14	14	12
15	15	13
16	16	14
17	17	15
18	18	16
19	19	17
20	20	18
21	21	19
22	22	20
23	23	21
24	24	22
25	25	23
26	26	24
27	27	25
28	28	SENATE BILL 114
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
31	31	-
32	32
33	33	STATE
34	34
35	35	OF
36	36
37	37	NEW
38	38
39	39	MEXICO
40	40
41	41	-
42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
44	44
45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Pat Woods
48	48	AN ACT
49	49	RELATING TO THE STATE GAME COMMISSION; ALTERING LAND
50	50	ACQUISITION PROCEDURES; REQUIRING THE APPROVAL OF ACEQUIA
51	51	ASSOCIATIONS, LAND GRANTS, BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND
52	52	THE LEGISLATURE PRIOR TO ACQUIRING LAND OR WATER RIGHTS;
53	53	INSTITUTING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
54	54	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
55	55	SECTION 1. Section 17-1-14 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1921,
56	56	Chapter 35, Section 7, as amended) is amended to read:
57	57	"17-1-14. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE GAME
58	58	COMMISSION--GAME PROTECTION FUND--LIABILITY SUSPENSE ACCOUNT.--
59	59	A. The state game commission shall have general
60	60	control over the collection and disbursement of all money
61	61	collected or received under the state laws for the protection
62	62	and propagation of game and fish, which money shall be paid
63	63	.228942.1 underscored material = new
64	64	[bracketed material] = delete
65	65	1
66	66	2
67	67	3
68	68	4
69	69	5
70	70	6
71	71	7
72	72	8
73	73	9
74	74	10
75	75	11
76	76	12
77	77	13
78	78	14
79	79	15
80	80	16
81	81	17
82	82	18
83	83	19
84	84	20
85	85	21
86	86	22
87	87	23
88	88	24
89	89	25
90	90	over to the state treasurer to the credit of the game
91	91	protection fund, unless otherwise provided by law, and the
92	92	fund, including all earned income, shall not be transferred to
93	93	another fund. Prior to depositing money into the game
94	94	protection fund, the department of game and fish shall ensure
95	95	that an amount adequate to cover the cost of refunds allowed by
96	96	the provisions of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 is held in a liability
97	97	suspense account. All refunds shall be made from the liability
98	98	suspense account. Money not needed to cover the cost of
99	99	refunds shall be deposited in the game protection fund at the
100	100	end of each month. Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 shall be guaranty to
101	101	the person who pays for hunting and fishing licenses and
102	102	permits that the money in that fund shall not be used for any
103	103	purpose other than as provided in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978.
104	104	B. The state game commission shall have authority
105	105	to:
106	106	(1) establish and, through the director of the
107	107	department of game and fish, to operate fish hatcheries for the
108	108	purpose of stocking public waters of the state and to furnish
109	109	fish fry and fingerlings to stock private waters, receipts from
110	110	such sources to go into the game protection fund;
111	111	(2) declare closed seasons in any specified
112	112	locality and on any species of game or fish threatened with
113	113	undue depletion from any cause;
114	114	(3) establish game refuges for the purpose of
115	115	.228942.1
116	116	- 2 - underscored material = new
117	117	[bracketed material] = delete
118	118	1
119	119	2
120	120	3
121	121	4
122	122	5
123	123	6
124	124	7
125	125	8
126	126	9
127	127	10
128	128	11
129	129	12
130	130	13
131	131	14
132	132	15
133	133	16
134	134	17
135	135	18
136	136	19
137	137	20
138	138	21
139	139	22
140	140	23
141	141	24
142	142	25
143	143	providing safe sanctuaries in which game may breed and
144	144	replenish adjacent hunting ranges, it being the purpose of this
145	145	provision to establish small refuges rather than large
146	146	preserves or to close large areas to hunting;
147	147	(4) subject to the procedural requirements of
148	148	Section 17-4-1 NMSA 1978 , purchase lands for game refuges where
149	149	suitable public lands do not exist, to purchase lands for fish
150	150	hatcheries and to purchase lands to be maintained perpetually
151	151	as public hunting grounds, particularly lands suitable for
152	152	waterfowl hunting, all such lands to be paid for from the game
153	153	protection fund;
154	154	(5) receive by gift or bequest, in the name
155	155	and on behalf of the state, lands suitable for game refuges,
156	156	hunting grounds, fish hatcheries or for any other purpose
157	157	necessary to carry out the provisions of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978;
158	158	(6) apply for and accept any state, federal or
159	159	private funds, grants or donations from any source for game and
160	160	fish programs and projects;
161	161	(7) designate certain areas as rest grounds
162	162	for migratory birds, in which hunting shall be forbidden at all
163	163	times or at such times as the state game commission shall
164	164	provide, it being the purpose of this provision not to
165	165	interfere unduly with the hunting of waterfowl but to provide
166	166	havens in which they can rest and feed without molestation;
167	167	(8) close any public stream or lake or portion
168	168	.228942.1
169	169	- 3 - underscored material = new
170	170	[bracketed material] = delete
171	171	1
172	172	2
173	173	3
174	174	4
175	175	5
176	176	6
177	177	7
178	178	8
179	179	9
180	180	10
181	181	11
182	182	12
183	183	13
184	184	14
185	185	15
186	186	16
187	187	17
188	188	18
189	189	19
190	190	20
191	191	21
192	192	22
193	193	23
194	194	24
195	195	25
196	196	thereof to fishing when such action is necessary to protect a
197	197	recently stocked water, to protect spawning waters or to
198	198	prevent undue depletion of the fish;
199	199	(9) propagate, capture, purchase, transport or
200	200	sell any species of game or fish needed for restocking any
201	201	lands or streams of the state;
202	202	(10) after reasonable notice and hearing,
203	203	suspend or revoke any license or permit issued pursuant to the
204	204	provisions of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 and withhold license
205	205	privileges from any person procuring a license through
206	206	misrepresentation, violating any provisions of Chapter 17 NMSA
207	207	1978 or hunting without a proper license;
208	208	(11) adopt rules establishing procedures that
209	209	provide reasonable notice and a hearing before the state game
210	210	commission for the suspension, revocation or withholding of
211	211	license privileges for a definite period of time for a person
212	212	charged with violating the provisions of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978,
213	213	subject to such judicial review as may be provided by law;
214	214	(12) conduct studies of programs for the
215	215	management of endangered and nongame species of wildlife;
216	216	(13) establish licenses, permits and
217	217	certificates not otherwise provided for in Section 17-3-13 NMSA
218	218	1978 and charge and collect just and reasonable fees for them;
219	219	provided that the fees shall not exceed the costs of
220	220	administration associated with the licenses, permits or
221	221	.228942.1
222	222	- 4 - underscored material = new
223	223	[bracketed material] = delete
224	224	1
225	225	2
226	226	3
227	227	4
228	228	5
229	229	6
230	230	7
231	231	8
232	232	9
233	233	10
234	234	11
235	235	12
236	236	13
237	237	14
238	238	15
239	239	16
240	240	17
241	241	18
242	242	19
243	243	20
244	244	21
245	245	22
246	246	23
247	247	24
248	248	25
249	249	certificates;
250	250	(14) permit, regulate or prohibit the
251	251	commercial taking or capturing of native, free-ranging
252	252	amphibians or reptiles not specifically protected by law,
253	253	except for rattlesnake roundups, collection of fish bait and
254	254	lizard races;
255	255	(15) adopt rules to control, eradicate or
256	256	prevent the spread of a contagious disease, pest or parasite,
257	257	including chronic wasting disease, to or among game animals.
258	258	The rules shall include provisions for:
259	259	(a) notification to the department of
260	260	game and fish of the diagnosis or suspected presence of a
261	261	contagious disease;
262	262	(b) examination by the state
263	263	veterinarian or the state veterinarian's designee of suspected
264	264	infected game animals;
265	265	(c) quarantine, treatment or destruction
266	266	of an infected game animal;
267	267	(d) disinfection and isolation of a
268	268	licensed private park where an infected game animal has been;
269	269	and
270	270	(e) indemnification and destruction of a
271	271	protected game animal;
272	272	(16) as necessary, designate areas of the
273	273	state in which bear-proof garbage containers are required on
274	274	.228942.1
275	275	- 5 - underscored material = new
276	276	[bracketed material] = delete
277	277	1
278	278	2
279	279	3
280	280	4
281	281	5
282	282	6
283	283	7
284	284	8
285	285	9
286	286	10
287	287	11
288	288	12
289	289	13
290	290	14
291	291	15
292	292	16
293	293	17
294	294	18
295	295	19
296	296	20
297	297	21
298	298	22
299	299	23
300	300	24
301	301	25
302	302	public and private lands to reduce potential human-bear
303	303	interactions;
304	304	(17) pursuant to appropriation by the
305	305	legislature, expend money from the game protection fund and the
306	306	habitat management fund for the improvement, maintenance,
307	307	development and operation of property for fish and wildlife
308	308	habitat management; and
309	309	(18) adopt rules to recruit, train and accept
310	310	the services of volunteers for education and outreach
311	311	activities, hunter and angler services and wildlife
312	312	conservation activities administered by the department of game
313	313	and fish; provided that a volunteer:
314	314	(a) shall comply with all policies and
315	315	procedures of the director of the department of game and fish;
316	316	and
317	317	(b) shall not be deemed to be a state
318	318	employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law
319	319	relating to state employment, including those relating to hours
320	320	of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment
321	321	compensation and state employee benefits.
322	322	C. The director of the department of game and fish
323	323	shall exercise all the powers and duties conferred upon the
324	324	state game and fish warden by all previous statutes now in
325	325	force not in conflict with Chapter 17 NMSA 1978.
326	326	D. The state game commission shall have authority
327	327	.228942.1
328	328	- 6 - underscored material = new
329	329	[bracketed material] = delete
330	330	1
331	331	2
332	332	3
333	333	4
334	334	5
335	335	6
336	336	7
337	337	8
338	338	9
339	339	10
340	340	11
341	341	12
342	342	13
343	343	14
344	344	15
345	345	16
346	346	17
347	347	18
348	348	19
349	349	20
350	350	21
351	351	22
352	352	23
353	353	24
354	354	25
355	355	to prohibit all hunting in periods of extreme forest fire
356	356	danger, at such times and places as may be necessary to reduce
357	357	the danger of destructive forest fires.
358	358	E. The hunting, pursuing, capturing, killing or
359	359	wounding of any game animals, birds or fish in or upon any game
360	360	refuge, rest ground or closed water or closed area or during
361	361	any closed season established or proclaimed by the state game
362	362	commission in accordance with the authority conferred in
363	363	Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 constitutes a misdemeanor and shall be
364	364	punishable as prescribed in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978."
365	365	SECTION 2. Section 17-2-44 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1974,
366	366	Chapter 83, Section 8, as amended) is amended to read:
367	367	"17-2-44. DIRECTOR--LAND OR AQUATIC HABITAT INTEREST
368	368	ACQUISITION.--In addition to other powers and duties, the
369	369	director:
370	370	A. subject to the procedural requirements of
371	371	Section 17-4-1 NMSA 1978 , may acquire land or aquatic habitat
372	372	interests for the conservation, management, restoration,
373	373	propagation and protection of threatened or endangered species;
374	374	and
375	375	B. shall conduct studies to determine the status
376	376	and requirements for survival of threatened or endangered
377	377	species."
378	378	SECTION 3. Section 17-4-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1939,
379	379	Chapter 223, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:
380	380	.228942.1
381	381	- 7 - underscored material = new
382	382	[bracketed material] = delete
383	383	1
384	384	2
385	385	3
386	386	4
387	387	5
388	388	6
389	389	7
390	390	8
391	391	9
392	392	10
393	393	11
394	394	12
395	395	13
396	396	14
397	397	15
398	398	16
399	399	17
400	400	18
401	401	19
402	402	20
403	403	21
404	404	22
405	405	23
406	406	24
407	407	25
408	408	"17-4-1. POWER TO ACQUIRE LAND .--
409	409	A. The state game commission [of the state of New
410	410	Mexico is hereby authorized and empowered to ] may acquire by
411	411	purchase, gift, bequest or lease, and [to ] hold, develop and
412	412	improve, lands for fish hatcheries, game farms, game refuges,
413	413	bird refuges, resting and nesting grounds, field stations,
414	414	dams, lakes, ditches, flumes, waterways, pipelines, canals,
415	415	rights of way, trails and roads and for all purposes incidental
416	416	to the propagation, preservation, protection and management of
417	417	the game, birds, fish and wildlife of the state [of New
418	418	Mexico].
419	419	B. The state game commission shall, prior to
420	420	acquiring land or water rights:
421	421	(1) obtain written approval of an acequia
422	422	association, a land grant and the board of county commissioners
423	423	of the county in which the property or water rights sought are
424	424	located;
425	425	(2) examine and compile a report on the
426	426	social, cultural and economic impacts to the acequia
427	427	association, land grant or county in which the acquisition is
428	428	located; and
429	429	(3) obtain the approval of the legislature for
430	430	the acquisition.
431	431	C. The state game commission shall report to the
432	432	legislature no later than October 1 of each year on all
433	433	.228942.1
434	434	- 8 - underscored material = new
435	435	[bracketed material] = delete
436	436	1
437	437	2
438	438	3
439	439	4
440	440	5
441	441	6
442	442	7
443	443	8
444	444	9
445	445	10
446	446	11
447	447	12
448	448	13
449	449	14
450	450	15
451	451	16
452	452	17
453	453	18
454	454	19
455	455	20
456	456	21
457	457	22
458	458	23
459	459	24
460	460	25
461	461	expenditures from the game protection fund and their purposes,
462	462	the results of the social, cultural and economic impact survey
463	463	of any land or water acquisition and recommendations for
464	464	legislative approval for further expenditures from the fund for
465	465	the acquisition of land or water rights. "
466	466	- 9 -
467	467	.228942.1