HOUSE BILL 311

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Patricia Roybal Caballero and Howie C. Morales

AN ACT

RELATING TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS; CREATING THE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORK GROUP; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--FINDINGS.--The legislature finds that nonprofit organizations make significant contributions to the state's economy and job creation. The legislature also finds that the state and local governments rely on nonprofit organizations to deliver important services in the areas of health, human services, arts and culture and the environment to the state's underserved populations and remote communities as well as to the state's urban areas. The legislature further finds that significant investments of public resources are made to nonprofit organizations that operate in areas that are not or cannot be served directly by state or local governments. Therefore, the legislature finds that a work group should be convened to study how the state and local governments can work most effectively and efficiently with nonprofit organizations.

     SECTION 2. TEMPORARY PROVISION--NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORK GROUP.--

          A. The "nonprofit organizations work group" is created as an interim legislative work group. The work group shall function from the date of its appointment until December 1 prior to the first session of the fifty-second legislature.

          B. The work group shall be composed of fifteen voting members as follows:

                (1) four members from the house of representatives and four members from the senate, appointed by the New Mexico legislative council;

                (2) three members whose professional expertise is relevant to the work of the work group, appointed by the New Mexico legislative council;

                (3) the director of the purchasing division of the general services department;

                (4) the director of the management and contracts review division of the department of finance and administration;

                (5) a representative of the attorney general's office, appointed by the attorney general; and

                (6) one member appointed by the governor.

          C. At the time of making its appointments, the New Mexico legislative council shall designate the chair and vice chair of the work group.

          D. A vacancy on the work group shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointment.

          E. After its appointment, the work group shall hold one organizational meeting to develop a work plan and budget for the 2014 interim. The work plan and budget shall be submitted to the New Mexico legislative council for approval.

          F. Upon approval of its work plan and budget, the work group shall study ways in which contracts, contracting processes, capacity to meet state programmatic needs and methods to build capacity and relationships between the state and nonprofit organizations can be improved to maximize the benefits to both parties and shall make a report on the results of the study. The report, including the work group's findings and recommendations, including recommendations for building capacity, shall be submitted to the legislative health and human services committee, the economic and rural development committee and any other appropriate interim legislative committees by November 1, 2014.

          G. The staff for the work group shall be provided by the legislative council service.

     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION.--One hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 to reimburse the per diem and mileage expenses of the nonprofit organizations work group members and to pay the other expenses, including contracting expenses, of the work group. Payments from the appropriation shall be made on warrants drawn by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the director of the legislative council service or the director's authorized representative. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2015 shall revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 4. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

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