HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 2

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio Maestas

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE A LEGISLATIVE ECONOMIC POLICY COUNCIL.

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico economy has tremendous comparative advantages in natural resources, tourism, hospitality, food services, agriculture, transportation, international trade, human capital, culture, language and heritage; and

     WHEREAS, a consistent legislative focus on what New Mexico does best is essential to economic growth and the future success of the state; and

     WHEREAS, the creation of a legislative economic policy council to provide advice and expertise to the legislature on economic policy matters would help with implementing good public policy with the right conditions for businesses to grow and for commerce to flourish and investments to take place for sustainable economic development in New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to create a legislative economic policy council; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative economic policy council be composed of fifteen members, who shall be appointed by the New Mexico legislative council, to include: the chair, or designee, of the relevant house of representatives standing committee that deals with commerce and economic development issues; the chair, or designee, of the relevant senate standing committee that deals with tax, business and transportation issues; four public members with economic academic research backgrounds; five public members from business organizations; and four public members who are entrepreneurs or business owners; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that public members of the legislative economic policy council shall be appointed from geographically diverse areas of the state with at least six members residing outside of Bernalillo county; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative economic policy council shall meet at least four times before November 1, 2021 and shall invite representatives of appropriate legislative committees, state agencies and other interested persons to its meetings for the purpose of information exchange and coordination; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no salary, compensation, perquisite or allowance shall be paid to any member of the council for services as a member of the council other than per diem and mileage paid to public members as provided for nonsalaried officers in the Per Diem and Mileage Act or per diem and mileage paid to legislative members as provided pursuant to Section 2-1-9 NMSA 1978; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no later than November 1, 2021, the legislative economic policy council shall provide a report to the appropriate legislative interim committees of its findings and recommendations that shall include an economic analysis of at least two policy recommendations to grow the economy and the state and aid the legislature in making policy decisions; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council, the secretary of economic development, the secretary of tourism, the secretary of taxation and revenue, the secretary of transportation, the secretary of higher education, the director of the New Mexico department of agriculture and the president and chief executive officer of the New Mexico chamber of commerce.

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