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SB 547: STATE LAND TRUSTS BOARD & STATE LAND SALES

An Act Relating To Public Lands; Adding Members To The State Land Trusts Advisory Board; Providing Procedures For Meetings On The Exchange, Sale Or Auction Of State Lands.

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MILD SB 547
STATE LAND TRUSTS BOARD & STATE LAND SALES

Legislative URL:
SB 547 on nmlegis.gov
Emergency Clause:
No
Germane:
N/A
Location:
SRC
Action:
[5] SRC/SJC-SRC API.
Issue(s):

Related Legislators

Bill Sponsor:

Related Documents

Downloads:
Introduced
Summary

This bill adds to the State Land Trusts Advisory Board (in addition to the current seven members appointed by the Commissioner of Public Lands with the advice and consent of the Senate):

  • one member appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate;
  • one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
  • one member appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and
  • the Secretary of Indian Affairs or the secretary’s designee.

 

Of the seven members appointed by the Commissioner of Public Lands, the bill increases from four to six the number who may belong to the same political party.

 

The bill requires that, prior to entering into any exchange, sale or auction of state lands, the commissioner must notify the members of the State Land Trusts Advisory Board and the appointing authorities describing all lands included in the proposed exchange, sale or auction, explaining the perceived benefits and known potential detriments, and a date at least 30 days from the notice for a meeting of the State Land Trusts Advisory Board.

 

At that meeting the Commissioner must explain the proposed exchange, sale or auction. The board will hear comments from interested persons and will advise the commissioner on the merits of proceeding with the exchange, sale or auction.

 

A potential benefit of this bill might be that the Commissioner of Public Lands will have to consider public comments and the advice of the State Land Trusts Advisory Board before entering into an exchange, sale or auction of state lands. A concern might be that the bill retains single-party partisan control (at the discretion of the Commissioner) of the board.