New Mexico State Legislature

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New Mexico State Legislature


General Information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 17, 2012
Website:   Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:   John A. Sanchez (R)
House Speaker:  Ben Lujan, Sr. (D)
Majority Leader:   Michael Sanchez (D) (Senate),
W. Ken Martinez (D) (House)
Minority leader:   Stuart Ingle (R) (Senate),
Thomas Taylor (R) (House)
Structure
Members:  42 (Senate), 70 (House)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Art IV, Section 3, New Mexico Constitution
Salary:   $0/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010
70 seats (House)
Next election:  November 4, 2012
42 seats (Senate)
70 seats (House)
Redistricting:  New Mexico Legislature has control

Contents

The New Mexico Legislature is the legislative branch of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate.

The legislature consists of 70 representatives and 42 senators. Each member of the House represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico. Each member of the Senate represents roughly 43,300 residents.

Sessions

Article IV of the New Mexico Constitution establishes when the Legislature is to be in session. Section 5 of Article IV states that the Legislature is to convene its annual regular session on the third Tuesday of January. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is to be in session for no longer than sixty days. In even-numbered years, the Legislature is to be in session for no longer than thirty days. In even-numbered years, the Legislature is limited to dealing with budgetary matters, bills that deal with issues raised by special messages of the Governor of New Mexico, and bills vetoed in the previous session by the Governor.

Section 6 of Article IV allows the Governor of New Mexico to call special sessions of the Legislature. Section 6 also allows the Legislature to meet in special session when three-fifths of each house petition the Governor with a request for a special session. Special sessions are not to exceed thirty days in length.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Legislature will be in session from January 17 through February 16.

Major issues

In their 30-day session the legislature is expected to consider drivers licenses for illegal immigrants, voter identification, business income tax, ethics reform, and defining homeowner rights in foreclosure proceedings.[1]

2011

In 2011, the Legislature was in session from January 18 through March 19. [2] As of late July, a special session will be scheduled for early September, however, a date has not been confirmed by Governor Susana Martinez. As of late July, issues on the agenda include:[3]

  • Fireworks use and sale ban in very dry years
  • A measure giving in-state companies an advantage when bidding for contracts
  • A ban on issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants

The 45 calendar days that the New Mexico Legislature was in session during 2011 is tied with Utah, Wyoming, and Arkansas for the shortest legislative session in the country.[4]

2010

In 2010, the Legislature was in regular session from January 19 to February 18. Additionally, the Senate convened a special session from March 1 to March 4.[5]

Senate

The New Mexico Senate is the upper house of the New Mexico State Legislature. There are 42 members of the Senate. Each member represents an average of 49,028 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[6] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 43,311.[7] All 42 seats are up for election every four years, and the next election will be in 2008.


Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 27
     Republican Party 14
     Vacancy 1
Total 42


House of Representatives

The New Mexico House of Representatives is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature. There are 70 members of the House. Each member represents an average of 29,417 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[8] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 25,986.[9]

Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 36
     Republican Party 33
     Independent 1
Total 70


Legislators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the New Mexico Senate are paid $0/year. Per diem is $153/day tied to the federal rate.[10]

The $0/year that New Mexico senators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $142/day in 2007 to $159/day in 2010 and decreased to $153/day in 2011.[11][12]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

New Mexico legislators assume office January 1st.

Constitutional amendments

The New Mexico legislature has the authority to vote to place proposed constitutional amendments to the New Mexico Constitution on the statewide ballot for approval or rejection by the state's voters. There are five such legislative referrals on the November 4, 2008 ballot in the state.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Santa Fe New Mexican, "Election-year tension and redrawn districts set stage for political dramas at the Capitol," January 15, 2012
  2. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  3. ↑ KRQE.com, Special session agenda getting longer, July 18, 2011
  4. ↑ South Carolina Policy Council "50 State Legislative Session Interactive Map," February 2011
  5. ↑ 2010 session dates for New Mexico Legislature
  6. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  7. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  8. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  9. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  10. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  11. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  12. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
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