SENATE BILL 157

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Sander Rue

AN ACT

RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE PROCESS; REQUIRING CERTAIN TIME PERIODS FOR REVIEW OF APPROPRIATION OR REVENUE BILLS OR REVIEW OF CERTAIN AMENDMENTS OR SUBSTITUTES TO THOSE BILLS; PROVIDING FOR WAIVER OF REQUIRED REVIEW TIME.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Budget Review Act".

     Section 2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Budget Review Act:

          A. "amendment" means a proposed change to a bill that has been introduced;

          B. "appropriation bill" means any bill authorizing an appropriation of funds for state operating, capital or transportation expenses;

          C. "publicly available" means posting a bill on the legislature's web site and publishing it in a bill report, committee report or conference committee report; and

          D. "revenue bill" means any bill raising revenue for operating, capital or transportation expenses.

     Section 3. APPROPRIATION BILLS--SEVENTY-TWO-HOUR CONSIDERATION PERIOD--HEARINGS--VOTES.--

          A. Following adoption of a committee report on an appropriation bill or revenue bill, no further hearing on the floor of a chamber or in committee shall be permitted until seventy-two-hours have elapsed, so that legislators and the public have adequate time to review and consider the content of the appropriation or revenue bill. To establish the seventy-two-hour time period, any day that the house in which the bill is being heard is meeting, either in committee or in session in chambers, shall be counted.

          B. Amendments offered to an appropriation bill or a revenue bill shall not be considered for adoption unless made available to legislators or the public twenty-four hours prior to any vote. To establish the twenty-four-hour time period, any day that the house in which the bill is being heard is meeting, either in committee or in session in chambers, shall be counted.

          C. A substitute bill or an amendment striking the contents of the bill from the first section to a section immediately prior to an effective date section, emergency clause or applicability section shall not be considered unless made available to legislators or the public forty-eight hours prior to debate on adoption of the substitute bill or the amendment. To establish the forty-eight-hour time period, any day that the house in which the bill is being heard is meeting, either in committee or in session in chambers, shall be counted.

          D. The provisions of this section apply to versions of bills that result from conference committee action.

          E. The time-sensitive prohibitions of this act for hearings or votes require a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the house or committee considering the appropriation or revenue bill. Bills adopted utilizing this exemption shall have a section with the following wording amended to the bill:

     "Section . REVIEW TIME WAIVED.--On [month, day, year] the [house of representatives/senate/committee of the house of representatives/committee of the senate] has waived the time period established to allow full review of this act by the members of the legislature and the people by a vote of for and against.".

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