SENATE MEMORIAL 7

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

John M. Sapien

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING ALL AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS OF STATE GOVERNMENT TO POST ANNUAL REPORTS AND REPORTS OF MEMORIALS ON-LINE AND TO PRINT AND MAIL COPIES OF REPORTS ONLY ON SPECIFIC REQUEST.

     WHEREAS, the challenges of a recessionary economy provide opportunities to trim costs and contribute to protection of the environment; and

     WHEREAS, during this session of the legislature, the state is challenged to identify significant savings in state spending; and

     WHEREAS, one activity generating inestimable expense in which the state continually engages is the printing and distribution of annual reports and reports of memorials to all one hundred twelve members of the legislature and others; and

     WHEREAS, although Section 2-3-14.1 NMSA 1978 states "no state agency shall submit or send to the members of the legislature any material other than proposed legislation in excess of five pages", this law is routinely ignored; and

     WHEREAS, most legislators communicate regularly via email, and many of them prefer receiving information electronically; and

     WHEREAS, Section 2-3-14.1 NMSA 1978 includes provisions that allow a state agency to provide reports and other material to a legislator utilizing print media upon the direct request of the legislator; and

     WHEREAS, nothing in this memorial is seeking to limit the ability of an individual legislator to request and receive print copies of annual reports and reports of memorials; and

     WHEREAS, state agencies seeking to identify opportunities to trim state budgets in response to this current budget crisis should realize significant savings by the elimination of printing multiple copies of annual reports and reports of memorials; and

     WHEREAS, although some state agencies effectively use the agency's web site to post annual reports and reports of memorials, many do not; and

     WHEREAS, any and all efforts to reduce the unnecessary printing and mailing of annual reports and reports of memorials serve the purpose of reducing expenditures, protecting the environment and complying with existing state law;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that all agencies, commissions and boards of state government be requested to post annual reports and reports of memorials on-line and to print and mail copies of reports only on specific request; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all state agencies review Section 2-3-14.1 NMSA 1978 and commit to complying with that law by utilizing electronic media wherever possible; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of information technology be requested to develop a specific page on its web site with links to all annual reports and reports of memorials generated by all state agencies, commissions and boards; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted electronically to the heads of all state agencies, commissions and boards and the governor.

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