SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 15

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

INTRODUCED BY

Timothy Z. Jennings

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4, SECTION 5 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL MESSAGES ISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR TO NO MORE THAN TWENTY-FIVE MESSAGES FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND TWENTY-FIVE MESSAGES FOR THE SENATE FOR BILLS THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED DURING A REGULAR SESSION OF AN EVEN-NUMBERED YEAR.

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

     Section 1. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 5 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:

          "A. Each regular session of the legislature shall begin annually at 12:00 noon on the third Tuesday of January. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an odd-numbered year shall remain in session not to exceed sixty days, and every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall remain in session not to exceed thirty days. No special session of the legislature shall exceed thirty days.

          B. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall consider only the following:

                 (1) budgets, appropriations and revenue bills;               (2) bills drawn pursuant to special messages of the governor; provided, however, that the governor shall issue no more than twenty-five messages for the house of representatives and twenty-five messages for the senate; and

                (3) bills of the last previous regular session vetoed by the governor."

     Section 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date that may be called for that purpose.

- 2 -