HOUSE BILL 20
56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023
INTRODUCED BY
Miguel P. Garcia
FOR THE LAND GRANT COMMITTEE
AN ACT
RELATING TO PARTITIONS OF LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES; ESTABLISHING QUALIFIED PARTITIONS OF LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES AS AUTONOMOUS LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 49, ARTICLE 1 NMSA 1978.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 49-1-1.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2004, Chapter 124, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:
"49-1-1.1. DEFINITIONS.--As used in Chapter 49 NMSA 1978:
A. "child" means a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward or a child of a person standing in loco parentis;
B. "heir" means a person who is a descendant of the original grantees and has an interest in the common land of a land grant-merced through inheritance, gift or purchase or as defined in the bylaws of a land grant-merced;
C. "land grant-merced" means a grant of land made by the government of Spain or by the government of Mexico to a community, town, colony or pueblo or to a person for the purpose of founding or establishing a community, town, colony or pueblo and includes land partitioned from a land grant-merced pursuant to Subsection A of Section 49-1-2 NMSA 1978;
D. "parent" includes a biological, adoptive or foster parent, a stepparent or an individual who stands in loco parentis to a child;
E. "precinct" means a geographic location such as a community or town that is guaranteed an apportioned amount of positions on the board of trustees of a land grant-merced as defined in the land grant-merced bylaws;
F. "qualified voting member" means an heir who is registered to vote in a land grant-merced as prescribed in the land grant-merced bylaws; and
G. "sibling" includes a stepsibling and a half-sibling."
SECTION 2. Section 49-1-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1907, Chapter 42, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:
"49-1-2. APPLICATION.--
A. Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978 shall apply to:
(1) all land grants-mercedes confirmed by the congress of the United States or by the court of private land claims or designated as land grants-mercedes in any report or list of land grants prepared by the surveyor general and confirmed by congress; [but] and
(2) land partitioned from a land grant-merced; provided that the Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty division of the office of the attorney general has certified to the partition and to the land grant council that:
(a) the partition was made to heirs of the original land grant-merced prior to 2004 for the purpose of establishing common land for a separate community or town;
(b) the partitioned land has been managed as common land for the original partition beneficiaries or their heirs for at least twenty years; and
(c) the partitioned land was conveyed by the board of trustees of the original land grant-merced or the partition was affirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
B. Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978 shall not apply to any land grant that is now managed or controlled in any manner, other than as provided in Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978, by virtue of any general or special act.
C. The Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty division of the office of the attorney general shall establish methods and procedures for certifying partitions of land grants-mercedes pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of this section.
[B.] D. If a majority of the members of the board of trustees of a land grant-merced covered by specific legislation determines that the specific legislation is no longer beneficial to the land grant-merced, the board has the authority to petition the legislature to repeal the legislation and to be governed by its bylaws and as provided in Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978.
[C.] E. The town of Tome land grant-merced, situated in Valencia county, confirmed by congress in 1858 and patented by the United States to the town of Tome, shall be governed by the provisions of Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978.
[D.] F. The town of Atrisco land grant-merced, situated in Bernalillo county, confirmed by the court of private land claims in 1894 and patented by the United States to the town of Atrisco in 1905, shall be governed by the provisions of Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978; provided that the board of trustees shall not have regulatory jurisdiction over, and the provisions of Chapter 49, Article 1 NMSA 1978 shall not apply to or govern, any lands or interests in real property the title to which is held by any other person, including a public or private corporation, partnership or limited liability company.
[E.] G. The Tecolote land grant-merced, also known as the town of Tecolote, situated in San Miguel county, confirmed by congress in 1858 and patented by the United States to the town of Tecolote in 1902, shall be governed by the provisions of Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978.
[F.] H. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this section to the contrary, the San Antonio del Rio Colorado land grant-merced, situated in Taos county, which claim was recommended for confirmation by surveyor general James K. Proudfit in 1874 and again in 1886 by surveyor general George W. Julian, but not confirmed by congress, shall be governed by the provisions of Sections 49-1-1 through 49-1-18 NMSA 1978.
[G.] I. The Manzano land grant-merced, also known as la merced del Manzano land grant-merced, situated in Torrance county, confirmed by congress in 1860 and patented by the United States to the town of Manzano in 1907, shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 49, Article 1 NMSA 1978."
SECTION 3. TEMPORARY PROVISION.--Nothing in this act shall be construed to alter or diminish the legal status of an existing land grant-merced or any rights established under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2023.
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