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HB 291: NM FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT STUDY COMMISSION

An Act Relating To Public Lands; Creating The New Mexico Federal Land Management Study Commission; Making An Appropriation.

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MILD HB 291
NM FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT STUDY COMMISSION

Legislative URL:
HB 291 on nmlegis.gov
Emergency Clause:
No
Germane:
N/A
Location:
HJC
Action:
[5] HGEIC/HJC/HAFC-HGEIC [7] w/drn - ref HAWC/HJC/HAFC-HAWC [10] DP/a-HJC API.
Issue(s):

Related Legislators

Bill Sponsor:

Related Documents

Downloads:
Introduced
HAWC Committee Report
Fiscal Impact Report
Summary

This bill creates the New Mexico Federal Land Management Study Commission, which is required to meet regularly and study:

(1)      options for the transfer of federal lands to the state;

(2)      options for the transfer of state and federal lands to the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos of the state;

(3)      options for the transfer of state and federal lands to the state’s land grants; and

(4)      possible land exchanges between the state and the federal government.

 

In the course of its study the commission is required to consider opportunities for:

(1)      improved wildlife management;

(2)      transferring title of culturally or spiritually significant lands to the Indian nations, tribes and pueblos of the state;

(3)      transferring title of culturally or spiritually significant lands to the state’s land grants;

(4)      addressing problems concerning land access; and

(5)      cost savings to the state or federal government.

 

The New Mexico Federal Land Management Study Commission will be composed of:

  • four members of the Legislature, including two from the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House and two from the Senate, appointed by the Committees’ Committee;
  • the Commissioner of Public Lands or the commissioner’s designee;
  • the Secretaries of EMNRD, Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Finance and Administration, and Indian Affairs, or the secretaries’ designees;
  • the State Forester or the State Forester’s designee;
  • the Director of the State Parks Division of EMNRD or the director’s designee;
  • the President of the Land Grant Council or the president’s designee;
  • the Executive Director of the New Mexico Association of Counties or the executive director’s designee; and
  • three members of the public, to be appointed by the governor; provided that of those three members, not more than two shall be from the same political party.

 

The commission must report in 2015 to the LFC and the appropriate legislative interim committees with an update on its progress; and must complete its study and report its final findings and recommendations to the LFC and the appropriate legislative interim committees by December 31, 2016.

 

$100,000 is appropriated from the General Fund to the Legislative Council Service for fiscal years

2016 and 2017 to pay the costs associated with the study and the required reports, including the per diem and mileage expenses of the public and legislative members of the commission.

 

HB 291 is identical to SB 483 except that SB 483 does not include an appropriation.

 

A possible benefit of this bill might be clarification of the issues surrounding proposed transfers of public lands, including transfers of federal lands to the state. The many possible concerns, especially with regard to the transfer of federal lands to the state, include: the potential for loss of federal regulations and other conservation safeguards; disruption of fishing, hunting and other recreational activities; and subjection of those lands, their management and even their ultimate disposition to local and state political pressures and influences.

On 2/12/15 the Agriculture, Water & Wildlife Committee amended HB 291 to remove