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HJR 18: HYBRID APPOINTED & ELECTED PRC, CA

A Joint Resolution Proposing To Amend Article 11 Of The Constitution Of New Mexico By Repealing Section 1 And Adding A New Section 1 To Provide For A Seven-member Full-time Hybrid Appointed-elected Public Regulation Commission Whose Members Serve For Staggered Four-year Terms And Who Meet Qualifications And Other Requirements As Provided By Law.

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MOD HJR 18
HYBRID APPOINTED & ELECTED PRC, CA

Legislative URL:
HJR 18 on nmlegis.gov
Emergency Clause:
No
Germane:
N/A
Location:
HGEIC
Action:
[21] HGEIC/HJC-HGEIC API.
Issue(s):

Related Legislators

Bill Sponsor:

Related Documents

Downloads:
Introduced
Fiscal Impact Report
Summary

This joint resolution proposes to amend Article 11 of the Constitution of New Mexico by repealing Section 1 and adding a new Section 1 providing for a full-time Public Regulation Commission (PRC) of seven members, including:

  • four appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; and
  • three elected, one from each congressional district.

 

Candidates for appointment or election must meet the qualifications for office and other requirements as provided by law. As is currently the case, commissioners will serve staggered four-year terms and, after serving for two four-year terms may not serve again until at least one full term has intervened.

 

The commissioners holding office at the time of the adoption of this amendment will continue in office until the expiration of their terms, but the Legislature will provide by law for the phasing in of elected and appointed members. No more than three of the appointed members will be from the same political party.

 

A potential benefit of this bill might be a more professional and more highly qualified group of commissioners appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Electing three instead of the current five commissioners, with those three representing the three congressional districts, may focus more attention on PRC elections and again result in a more qualified field of candidates. A potential concern might be that by allowing three of the four appointees to be from the same political party, the commission may be overly influenced by partisan politics.