HOUSE RESOLUTION 4

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Rick Little

A RESOLUTION

AMENDING THE HOUSE RULES TO PROVIDE THAT APPOINTMENTS TO STANDING COMMITTEES BE MADE BY THE FLOOR LEADERS.

     WHEREAS, House Rule 24-1 provides that the rules of the house may be amended by a two-thirds' vote of the members of the house or by a majority vote of the members of the house upon the recommendation of the rules and order of business committee;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that a new House Rule 3-1 be adopted to read:

"3-1      The floor leaders and whips shall be those members duly elected by the respective party caucuses of the two political parties having the most members in the house and announced in open session. All such party leaders shall serve at the pleasure of their respective party caucuses."; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that House Rule 9-1 be amended to read:

"9-1      [The speaker shall appoint] All appointments to committees created by the house, except those committees where the members are designated in the motion creating them, [and all appointments] shall be made by the floor leaders, announced in open session and made a matter of record in the journal, subject to the following:

(a) the floor leader of the caucus that has the most members of the house shall be the first to make appointments, and the appointments shall be from the leader's caucus in the number that reflects the proportion of the leader's caucus membership of the house; provided that the order of making appointments shall be determined by lot if the caucuses have equal membership;

(b) the floor leader who makes appointments second shall appoint members from the leader's caucus and in the number that reflects the proportion of the leader's caucus membership of the house; provided that such leader shall be entitled to appoint at least one member to each committee;

                (c) a member who is not affiliated with a

caucus may appoint himself or herself to no more than two substantive committees;

(d) the floor leaders shall make their

appointments in such a manner as to minimize scheduling conflicts for members; and

(e) except as provided for in this rule,

all appointments shall comply with the restrictions in House Rule 9-3.".

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