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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	M. J. Garcia		DATE TYPED:	3/03/03		HB
SHORT TITLE:		2003 Senate Redistricting Act				SB	846
					ANALYST:		Collard

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
			$50.0	Non- Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Responses Received From

Attorney General’s Office

Secretary of State

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 846 allows for redistricting of the 42 senatorial districts, including electing senators, filling vacancies and amending the number, residence and terms of senators. Additionally, the bill repeals Sections 2-8D-1 through 2-8D-49, which is the 2002 Senate Redistricting Act.

Significant Issues

The Attorney General’s Office indicates Article IV, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution allows the legislature to reapportion its membership by statute “once following the publication of the official report of each federal decennial census…” (emphasis added). Pursuant to this direction, the senate enacted the 2002 Senate Redistricting Act following the 2000 census and the constitution precludes the senate from passing another redistricting act until after the 2010 census.

The Secretary of State is currently conducting research on how many precincts will be affected by this redistricting act. Thus, it is not possible for the agency to determine administrative implications or other issues associated with this bill until the research is completed.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no appropriation associated with this bill; however, the Secretary of State indicates a cost of approximately $50.0 for new voter identification cards, depending on how the precincts are changed.

KBC/sec