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SENATE BILL 488
57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Linda M. López
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE; INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS
THAT COMPRISE THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE; ASSIGNING DUTIES; PROVIDING FOR YEAR-ROUND STAFF;
REQUIRING STATE AGENCY COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE'S AND ITS SUBCOMMITTEES' REQUESTS
FOR INFORMATION; ESTABLISHING THE COMMITTEE'S AND
SUBCOMMITTEES' POWER TO ADMINISTER OATHS AND ISSUE SUBPOENAS;
MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 2-13-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989,
Chapter 349, Section 1) is amended to read:
"2-13-1. CREATION OF COMMITTEE--MEMBERS--APPOINTMENT--
TERMS.--
A. There is created a permanent joint [interim ]
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committee of the legislature to be called the "legislative
health and human services committee". The committee shall be
composed of [eight] twelve members. [The legislative council
shall appoint four] Six members from the house of
representatives [and four ] shall be appointed by the speaker of
the house of representatives. Six members from the senate [At
the time of making the appointment, the legislative council
shall designate the chairman and vice chairman of the
committee] shall be appointed by the committees' committee of
the senate or, if the senate appointments are made in the
interim, by the president pro tempore of the senate after
consultation with and agreement of a majority of the members of
the committees' committee . Members shall be appointed so as to
give the two major political parties in each house the same
proportionate representation on the committee as prevails in
each house; provided that in no event shall either of such
parties have less than one member from each house on the
committee. [Members may be removed from the committee by the
legislative council, at the request of the committee chairman,
for nonattendance according to council policy. ] Vacancies on
the committee, however caused, may be filled [by the
legislative council, or the council may reduce the size of the
committee by not making replacement appointments and in such
case need not readjust party representation ] for the unexpired
term by appointment from the house of representatives or senate
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by the respective appointing authority that makes the original
appointments and subject to the same recommendations; provided
that the new members shall be from the same house of the
legislature and the same party from which their predecessors
were appointed. No action shall be taken by the committee if a
majority of the total membership from either house on the
committee rejects such action.
B. The chair and vice chair shall be appointed for
terms coterminous with their membership on the committee. The
chair and vice chair shall alternate between the respective
houses every two years. For the terms beginning in 2025, the
chair shall be a house member, and the vice chair shall be a
senate member. The appointing authority of each house shall
exercise its appointing authority by naming the chair and vice
chair, respectively, on this alternating basis. "
SECTION 2. Section 2-13-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989,
Chapter 349, Section 2) is amended to read:
"2-13-2. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE.--The legislative health
and human services committee shall [conduct a continuing study
of] monitor and oversee the programs, agencies, policies,
issues and needs relating to health and human services,
including [review and study ] monitoring and oversight of the
statutes, constitutional provisions, regulations and court
decisions governing such programs, agencies, policies and
issues. The committee shall also [study ] monitor and oversee
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the full continuum of programs and services available and
needed for children and families and the aging population. The
committee shall make an annual report of its findings and
recommendations and recommend any necessary legislation to each
session of the legislature."
SECTION 3. Section 2-13-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989,
Chapter 349, Section 5) is amended to read:
"2-13-5. STAFF.--The [staff for the ] legislative health
and human services committee shall [be provided by the
legislative council service ] have a year-round staff assigned
exclusively to carrying out the duties of the committee. The
legislative council service shall provide the staff for the
legislative health and human services committee, which shall
include individuals with expertise in law, policy or finance
related to health care delivery or finance or to human services
matters."
SECTION 4. A new Section 2-13-6 NMSA 1978 is enacted to
read:
"2-13-6. [NEW MATERIAL ] COMPLIANCE WITH REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION.--Each agency or institution of the state and its
political subdivisions shall furnish and make available to the
legislative health and human services committee or any of its
subcommittees such documents, material or information not made
confidential by law and that are requested by the committee or
any of its subcommittees upon a majority vote of the respective
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members of the committee or its subcommittees."
SECTION 5. A new Section 2-13-7 NMSA 1978 is enacted to
read:
"2-13-7. [NEW MATERIAL ] SUBPOENA POWER.--The legislative
health and human services committee may conduct hearings and
administer oaths. The legislative health and human services
committee may issue a subpoena upon a vote of a majority of the
members of the committee. The subpoena may be enforced through
any district court of the state. Process of the committee
shall be served by any sheriff or any member of the New Mexico
state police and shall be served without cost to the committee
or its subcommittees."
SECTION 6. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars
($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the
legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years
2025 and 2026 to fund staffing for and the activities of the
legislative health and human services committee pursuant to
this act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at
the end of fiscal year 2026 shall revert to the general fund.
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