Protect New Mexico

Your source for environmental information at the NM legislature

HB 102 : TRANSFER OF PUBLIC LANDS TASK FORCE

An Act Relating To Public Lands; Creating The Transfer Of Public Lands Task Force

LoadingAdd to My Bills

MOD HB 102
TRANSFER OF PUBLIC LANDS TASK FORCE

Legislative URL:
HB 102 on nmlegis.gov
Emergency Clause:
No
Germane:
N/A
Location:
HHGIC
Action:
HPREF [5] HHGIC/HJC-HHGIC API.
Issue(s):

Related Legislators

Bill Sponsor:

Related Documents

Downloads:
Introduced
Fiscal Impact Report
Summary

The bill creates a “transfer of public lands task force” composed of:

  • four members of the legislature, two appointed by majority leadership and two appointed by minority leadership;
  • the Commissioner of Public Lands;
  • the Secretary of Indian Affairs; and
  • three members appointed by the Governor.

 

The task force must:

  • Report annually to the Legislature and interim committees on “the progress that the task force has made concerning facilitating the transfer of public lands to the state.”
  • Take testimony from environmental organizations, farmers, hunting and fishing organizations, ranchers and outdoor sporting organizations.
  • Determine whether to propose legislation for 2016 regarding the transfer of federal lands to the state; the transfer of state and federal lands to the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos of the state; the transfer of state and federal lands to the state’s land grants; and possible land exchanges between the state and the federal government.
  • Consider opportunities for improved wildlife management; transferring title of culturally or spiritually significant lands to the Indian nations, tribes, pueblos and land grants; opportunities to address problems concerning land access; and opportunities for cost savings to the state or to the federal government.

 

The bill provides that the Secretary of Indian Affairs shall consult with representatives of the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos to determine if any federal lands should be excluded from transfer. The bill also provides that the bill shall negatively impact the land grants.

 

One concern with this bill is that the composition of the task force may lopsided given that the Governor would appoint three members directly and three to four more indirectly (two of the legislative positions and the Secretary of Indian Affairs, possibly the Commissioner of Public Lands depending on who is in that office). Additionally, it may be of concern that no public members or other stakeholders such as a representative of the federal government or of the land grants would sit on the task force. A third concern might be the potential to fritter away state government resources on a portion of this committee’s work when the state has no ability to transfer federal lands to the state.

 

Date of Summary:  1/20/2014

Outcome:

HB 102 died in the House Health Government and Indian Affairs Committee.

Updated 7/31/14