HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 01

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Nick L. Salazar

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING TO AMEND LEGISLATIVE JOINT RULE 6-1 TO CLARIFY THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH MEMORIALS MAY BE USED TO EXPRESS LEGISLATIVE CONDOLENCES OR CONGRATULATIONS.

     WHEREAS, the joint rules of the legislature may be amended by a concurrent resolution approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, that Joint Rule 6-1 be amended to read as follows:

          "A. The preferred legislative instrument for official expression of condolence by either house in case of death or sickness and for congratulatory messages and acknowledgements of achievement shall be a certificate of a design [which] that is both appropriate and aesthetically sensitive to the expression being extended and to the dignity of the legislature, which certificate for each category of expression shall be uniform in design and expression except for necessary names, addresses and dates.

          B. No bill or resolution [or memorial] shall be used for official expressions of condolence, congratulations or acknowledgements of achievement. The legislative council service shall draft or prepare for introduction a memorial for an official expression of condolence, congratulations or acknowledgment of achievement only if the request is made with the prior approval of the speaker of the house of representatives or the senate president pro tempore, respectively, after consultation with the floor leaders and chairs of their respective rules committees.

          C. The procedure of adopting and issuing certificates of condolence, congratulations or acknowledgements of achievement shall be:

                (1) the member shall submit the appropriate name and address and type of expression desired on the certificate to the chief clerk of the house of the legislature of which he is a member;

                (2) without further action, the chief clerk shall consecutively number such request for each session, enter it in an official certificate register and transmit such request to the chairman of the rules committee of that house;

                (3) the rules committee shall verify the authenticity of the request and shall report to its parent body those names verified and approved for each category of certification; and

                (4) on each Wednesday when the legislature is in session and upon any legislative day during the last week of the session, following that order of business in each house pertaining to the reports of committees, the chief clerk of each house shall read all reports on hand of the rules committee serving that house pertaining to such certification, and the house of the legislature receiving the committee report shall vote on the approval of the committee report and the sentiments expressed therein. Such approval shall be an authorization to mail a certificate to the family or individual as the case may be [and

                (5) in the publication of the session laws, the names of those persons who were the subject of certification shall be collectively shown, according to the certifying house and nature of sentiment expressed]."

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