SB0005

SENATE BILL 5

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos and Peter Wirth and Matthew McQueen

and Crystal Brantley and Nathan P. Small

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE STATE GAME COMMISSION; REFORMING THE STATE GAME COMMISSION APPOINTMENT PROCESS; SETTING TERM LIMITS FOR COMMISSIONERS; ADDING REQUIREMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONERS; CREATING THE STATE WILDLIFE COMMISSION NOMINATING COMMITTEE; RENAMING THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE; RENAMING THE STATE GAME COMMISSION AS THE STATE WILDLIFE COMMISSION; AMENDING STATUTORY POLICY; EXPANDING THE MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE; ADDING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; AMENDING LICENSING FEES; PROVIDING FOR FEE ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION; PROVIDING DISCOUNTS FOR RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS; PROVIDING TRANSFERS; REPEALING SECTION 17-2-2 NMSA 1978 (BEING LAWS 1937, CHAPTER 23, SECTION 1).

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

SECTION 1. Section 17-1-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1921, Chapter 35, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

"17-1-1. DECLARATION OF POLICY.--It is the purpose of [this act] Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 and the policy of the state [of New Mexico to provide an adequate and flexible system for the protection of the game and fish of New Mexico and for their use and development for public recreation and food supply and to provide for their propagation, planting, protection, regulation and conservation to the extent necessary to provide and maintain an adequate supply of game and fish within the state of New Mexico] to provide for the conservation and management of the state's wildlife as a public trust resource with ecological, economic and intrinsic value, as well as for the benefit, use, food supply and nonconsumptive enjoyment of all."

SECTION 2. Section 17-2A-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1996, Chapter 89, Section 3) is recompiled as Section 17-1-1.1 NMSA 1978 and is amended to read:

"17-1-1.1. DEFINITIONS.--For the purposes of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978:

A. "commission" or "state game commission" means the state wildlife commission;

B. "department" or "department of game and fish" means the department of wildlife;

C. "director", "warden", "state warden", "state game warden" or "state game and fish warden" means the director of the department of wildlife;

[A.] D. "hunt code" means a description used to identify and define the species, weapon type and time frame authorized for a specific hunt;

[B.] E. "outfitter" or "guide" means a person who advertises or holds [himself] themself out to the public for hire or is employed or accepts compensation for providing, within the unit where a hunt occurs, facilities, equipment or services for hunting activities; provided, however, that "outfitter" or "guide" does not include a person who only cooks, cuts wood or performs other comparable or incidental duties not directly related to hunting activities; and

[C.] F. "unit" means a geographically bound area in the state that is used to manage game species."

SECTION 3. Section 17-1-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1921, Chapter 35, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"17-1-2. STATE [GAME] WILDLIFE COMMISSION--APPOINTMENT--TERM.--

A. To carry out the purpose of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 and all other acts for like purpose, there is created a "state [game] wildlife commission" of seven voting members, [not more than four of whom shall be of the same political party at the time of their appointment. The members of the commission shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The term of office for each member of the commission shall be four years. At the time of making the first appointments, the governor shall designate the commissioners' terms as being one, two, three or four years so that the term of no more than two commissioners shall expire each year.

In making appointments to the state game commission, one member shall be appointed from each of the following districts:

A. district one: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties;

B. district two: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Dona Ana counties;

C. district three: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties;

D. district four: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties; and

E. district five: Bernalillo county. The remaining two members shall be appointed at-large. At least one member of the commission shall manage and operate a farm or ranch that contains at least two species of wildlife on that part which is deeded land requiring licensing prior to legal pursuit under the provisions of Section 17-3-2 NMSA 1978. At least one member shall have a demonstrated history of involvement in wildlife and habitat protection issues and whose activities or occupation are not in conflict with wildlife and habitat advocacy. The state game commission as provided in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 shall have the same authority, powers and duties as now vested in the state game commission by law and each member of the state game commission shall serve until his successor has been appointed and qualified] all of whom shall possess knowledge of wildlife, hunting and fishing and be New Mexico residents. The governor shall appoint the members of the commission with the advice and consent of the senate from a list of qualified nominees submitted to the governor by the state wildlife commission nominating committee. The commission shall select one commissioner to be chair and one commissioner to be vice chair. The department shall provide administrative support to the commission.

B. Three at-large members of the commission shall hold positions one, two and three, with no more than one member residing in any one county and with no more than two members affiliated with the same political party.

C. Four members of the commission shall hold positions four, five, six and seven, with no more than one member residing in any one county and with no more than two members affiliated with the same political party, as follows:

(1) position four, a rancher or farmer who owns or manages and earns income from a New Mexico ranch or farm, on which at least two big game species as defined, and for which hunting is licensed, by the department are frequently present;

(2) position five, a conservationist who for the previous four years has been an employee, a member of the board or a member of an established advisory committee of a nonprofit wildlife or habitat conservation organization, the primary focus of which is not game species;

(3) position six, an individual who is both a hunter and an angler having held both a New Mexico hunting license and fishing license each of the previous four years; and

(4) position seven, a scientist who holds at least a master's degree in wildlife biology, conservation biology, fisheries science or management, wildlife science or management or a comparable wildlife field.

D. Except for the initial appointments as provided in Section 11 of this 2025 act, the term of office for each member of the commission shall be six years.

E. A commissioner shall serve for no more than two terms after January 1, 2027. A partial term shall be counted as one full term, unless the partial term is less than one full year.

F. When a commissioner dies, resigns or no longer meets the qualifications required for the commissioner's original appointment, or misses three consecutive meetings, that position on the commission becomes vacant. The governor shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term from a list of qualified nominees submitted to the governor by the state wildlife commission nominating committee.

G. Except when the position of commissioner becomes vacant pursuant to Subsection F of this section, a commissioner shall not be removed except for incompetence, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office; provided that no removal shall be made without notice of hearing and an opportunity to be heard having first been given to the commissioner. The state ethics commission may bring an action for the removal of a commissioner upon the state ethics commission's information or upon the complaint of a person with knowledge of a commissioner's alleged incompetence, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. The state ethics commission may also bring an action to enforce the provisions of Subsection F of this section or determine whether a position of the commission has become vacant pursuant to Subsection F of this section. The supreme court is given exclusive original jurisdiction over proceedings to remove commissioners under such rules as it may promulgate, and its decision in connection with such matters shall be final.

H. A person shall not be eligible to be appointed as a commissioner if the person changed party affiliation during the previous four years; provided that a person who changed party affiliation for the purpose of voting in a primary election pursuant to Section 1-4-5.7 NMSA 1978 and then changed party affiliation back to the status of that person's party affiliation immediately prior to the change within ninety days shall not be considered to have changed party affiliation for the purposes of this subsection.

I. The following persons shall serve as advisory, nonvoting members of the commission:

(1) the director of the New Mexico outdoor recreation division of the economic development department or the director's designee;

(2) the director of the New Mexico department of agriculture or the director's designee;

(3) the commissioner of public lands or the commissioner's designee; and

(4) the secretary of Indian affairs or the secretary's designee."

SECTION 4. A new Section 17-1-2.1 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

"17-1-2.1. [NEW MATERIAL] STATE WILDLIFE COMMISSION NOMINATING COMMITTEE.--

A. The "state wildlife commission nominating committee" is created and consists of seven members, all of whom shall be New Mexico residents, as follows:

(1) four members appointed as follows: one by the speaker of the house of representatives, one by the minority floor leader of the house of representatives, one by the president pro tempore of the senate and one by the minority floor leader of the senate;

(2) two members as follows: the chair of the university of New Mexico's department of biology or the chair's designee and the chair of New Mexico state university's department of fish, wildlife and conservation ecology or the chair's designee; and

(3) one member appointed by the governor who shall represent an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo.

B. A committee member shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in pursuit of the member's duties on the committee pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act.

C. The committee and individual members shall be subject to the Governmental Conduct Act, the Gift Act, the Inspection of Public Records Act, the Financial Disclosure Act and the Open Meetings Act.

D. The committee shall select one member to be chair and one member to be secretary. Administrative support shall be provided to the committee by the staff of the department.

E. An appointed committee member may be removed by the person who holds the office that appointed that committee member. A committee member shall serve until the committee member's resignation or removal by the appointing authority.

F. The committee shall meet at least ninety days prior to the date on which the term of a state wildlife commissioner ends and as often as necessary thereafter in order to submit a list to the governor, at least thirty days prior to the beginning of the new term, of a minimum of three qualified nominees for each position of the commission. The list shall be developed to provide geographical and political party diversity as appropriate to conform the makeup of the commission to the geographical and political party requirements of Section 17-1-2 NMSA 1978.

G. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in a state wildlife commissioner position, the committee shall meet within thirty days of the date of the beginning of the vacancy and as often as necessary thereafter in order to submit a list to the governor, within sixty days of the first meeting after the vacancy occurs, of no fewer than three qualified nominees for appointment to the commission to fill the remainder of the term of each commissioner position that is vacant. The list shall be developed to provide geographical and political party diversity as appropriate to conform the makeup of the commission to the geographical and political party requirements pursuant to Section 17-1-2 NMSA 1978.

H. The committee shall actively solicit, accept and evaluate applications from qualified individuals for a position on the commission and may require an applicant to submit any information that the committee deems relevant to the consideration of the individual's application.

I. The committee shall select nominees for submission to the governor who, in the committee's judgment, are best qualified to serve as a member of the commission. A person shall not be eligible for nomination to the commission while serving on the committee.

J. A majority vote of committee members at a meeting at which a quorum is present in favor of a person is required for that person to be included on the list of qualified nominees submitted to the governor.

K. The committee shall allow for public comment at a committee meeting during which the committee is considering a list of qualified nominees for appointment to the commission before the committee votes on the nominees."

SECTION 5. Section 17-1-26 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1931, Chapter 117, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"17-1-26. RULEMAKING POWER.--

A. The [state game] commission is [hereby] authorized and directed to make [such] rules [and regulations and establish such service] as it may deem necessary to carry out [all] the provisions and purposes of [this act, and all other acts relating to game and fish, and in making such rules and regulations and in providing when] Chapter 17 NMSA 1978.

B. The rules may include, as applicable, when, where, by what means and to what extent, if at all, [and by what means game animals, birds and fish] wildlife may be hunted, taken, captured, killed, possessed, released, bartered, sold, purchased, [and] shipped and imported into or exported from the state. [game and fish]

C. In making rules, the commission shall [give due regard to the zones of temperatures and to the distribution, abundance, economic value and breeding habits of such game animals, birds and fish.

The state game commission is hereby authorized to spend such reasonable amounts as in its judgment is desirable and necessary annually, from their funds not otherwise needed, for the eradication of predatory animals] consider a species' population size and trends, migration patterns, availability of suitable habitat, response to changes in climate conditions, conservation actions necessary to sustain healthy populations and ecosystems and any other factors, natural or human-driven, that are judged to affect the health of a species or a species' ecosystem."

SECTION 6. A new section of the Wildlife Conservation Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] WILDLIFE TO BE PROTECTED--MANAGEMENT.--

A. In addition to species defined as protected in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978, the commission is authorized to extend management and protection by rule or policy to any species of wildlife.

B. When determining whether and how to protect a species of wildlife, the commission shall consider:

(1) whether the species qualifies as a species of greatest conservation need;

(2) the science-based reasons for protection of a species; and

(3) the rules and management programs that would potentially accompany protected status.

C. The department is not required to respond to wildlife nuisance incidents as prescribed by Section 17-2-7.2 NMSA 1978 unless:

(1) the department was required to do so for species listed as protected in statute prior to July 1, 2026; or

(2) in its own discretion, the commission adopts a rule or policy directing the department to do so.

D. As used in this section, "wildlife" means a nondomestic mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish or invertebrate species, including a living animal, or any part, egg, spawn, offspring or the dead body or parts thereof."

SECTION 7. A new section of the Wildlife Conservation Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED-- DEFINITION--DATA COLLECTION.--

A. For the purposes of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978, "species of greatest conservation need" means species as identified and updated by the department in an assessment of the state's wildlife and habitat.

B. The department shall annually publish on the department's website data collected on species of greatest conservation need and the use of state and federal funds for the support and recovery of species of greatest conservation need."

SECTION 8. Section 17-2-38 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1974, Chapter 83, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"17-2-38. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Wildlife Conservation Act:

A. "commission" means the state [game] wildlife commission;

B. "director" means the director of the department of [game and fish] wildlife;

C. "ecosystem" means a system of living organisms and their environment;

D. "endangered species" means any species of fish or wildlife whose prospects of survival or recruitment within the state are in jeopardy due to any of the following factors:

(1) the present or threatened destruction, modification or curtailment of its habitat;

(2) overutilization for scientific, commercial or sporting purposes;

(3) the effect of disease or predation;

(4) other natural or man-made factors affecting its prospects of survival or recruitment within the state; or

(5) any combination of the foregoing factors.

The term may also include any species of fish or wildlife appearing on the United States list of endangered native and foreign fish and wildlife as set forth in Section 4 of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 as endangered species; provided that the commission adopts those lists in whole or in part. The term [shall] does not include any species covered by the provisions of 16 U.S.C. 1331 through 1340 (1971) [and shall not include] or any species of the class insecta determined by the director to constitute a pest whose protection under the Wildlife Conservation Act would present an overwhelming and overriding risk to [man] humans;

E. "investigation" means a process pursuant to Subsections B through L of Section 17-2-40 NMSA 1978 undertaken whenever the director [suspects] believes that a species may be threatened or endangered and [which] that consists of a formal review of existing data and studies and may include additional field research to determine whether a species is threatened or endangered;

F. "land or aquatic habitat interests" means interests in real property or water rights consisting of fee simple title, easements in perpetuity, time certain easements, long-term leases and short-term leases;

G. "management" means the collection and application of biological information for the purposes of establishing and maintaining a congruous relationship between individuals within species and populations of wildlife and the carrying capacity of their habitat. The term includes the entire range of activities that constitutes a full scientific resource program [of], including [but not limited to] research, census, law enforcement, propagation, acquisition or maintenance of land or aquatic habitat interests appropriate for recovery of the species; improvement and maintenance, education and related activities; [or] and protection and regulated taking;

H. "recovery plan" means a designated program or methodology reasonably expected to lead to restoration and maintenance of a species and its habitat;

I. "peer review panel" means an advisory panel of scientists, each of whom possesses expertise relevant to the proposed investigation and at least one of whom is a wildlife biologist, convened to review the scientific methodology for collection and analysis of data by a researcher based on commonly accepted scientific peer review;

J. "species" means any species or subspecies;

K. "substantial public interest" means a nonfrivolous claim indicated by a broad-based expression of public concern;

L. "take" or "taking" means to harass, hunt, capture or kill any wildlife or attempt to do so;

M. "threatened species" means any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range in New Mexico; the term may also include any species of fish or wildlife appearing on the United States list of endangered native and foreign fish and wildlife as set forth in Section 4 of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 as threatened species; provided that the commission adopts the list in whole or in part; and

N. "wildlife" means [any] a nondomestic mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish [mollusk or crustacean] or invertebrate species, including a living animal, or any part, egg, spawn, [or] offspring or the dead body or parts thereof."

SECTION 9. Section 17-3-13 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1964 (1st S.S.), Chapter 17, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

"17-3-13. LICENSE FEES--FEE ADJUSTMENTS.--

A. The director of the department of [game and fish] wildlife shall keep a record of all money received and licenses and permits issued by the department, numbering each class separately. Upon satisfactory proof that a license or permit has been lost before its expiration, the director may issue a duplicate and collect a just and reasonable fee [for it] as determined by [regulation of the] state [game] wildlife commission rule.

B. Beginning April 1, 2027 and on April 1 of each successive year, the state wildlife commission may adjust the fees provided by this section for inflation as provided in Subsection C of this section. The director of the department of [game and fish] wildlife shall collect the following fees for each license of the class indicated:

Resident, fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . [$25.00] $35.00

Resident, game hunting. . . . . . . . . . . .[15.00] 25.00

Resident, deer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[31.00] 50.00

Resident, junior-senior, deer. . . . . . . . [19.00] 25.00

Resident, senior, handicapped,

game hunting and fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.00

Resident, fishing and game hunting

combination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [30.00] 42.00

Resident, junior, fishing and game

hunting combination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.00

Resident, disabled veteran, fishing and game hunting combination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00

Resident, antelope. . . . . . . . . . . . . [50.00] 60.00

Resident, elk cow. . . . . . . . . . . . . .[50.00] 60.00

Resident, elk bull or either sex. . . . . . .[80.00] 90.00

Resident, junior-senior, elk. . . . . . . . .[48.00] 60.00

Resident, bighorn sheep, ram. . . . . . . . . . . . 150.00

Resident, bighorn sheep, ewe. . . . . . . . . . . . .75.00

Resident, Barbary sheep. . . . . . . . . .[100.00] 120.00

Resident, bear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[44.00] 55.00

Resident, turkey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[25.00] 35.00

Resident, cougar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[40.00] 55.00

Resident, oryx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[150.00] 175.00

Resident, ibex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[100.00] 110.00

Resident, javelina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.00

Resident, fur dealer. . . . . . . . . . . . [15.00] 100.00

Resident, trapper. . . . . . . . . . . . . [20.00] 100.00

Resident, junior trapper. . . . . . . . . . . [9.00] 50.00

Nonresident, fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . .[56.00] 90.00

Nonresident, junior fishing. . . . . . . . . [15.00] 20.00

Nonresident, junior, game hunting . . . . . .[15.00] 20.00

Nonresident, game hunting. . . . . . . . . .[65.00] 85.00

Nonresident, deer. . . . . . . . . . . . . [260.00] 375.00

Nonresident, quality deer. . . . . . . . . [345.00] 600.00

Nonresident, bear. . . . . . . . . . . . . [250.00] 350.00

Nonresident, cougar. . . . . . . . . . . . [280.00] 350.00

Nonresident, turkey. . . . . . . . . . . . [100.00] 125.00

Nonresident, antelope. . . . . . . . . . . [260.00] 400.00

Nonresident, elk cow. . . . . . . . . . . .[315.00] 550.00

Nonresident, elk bull or either sex. . . . [525.00] 750.00

Nonresident, quality elk. . . . . . . . . .[750.00] 975.00

Nonresident, bighorn sheep. . . . . . . . . . . . 3,150.00

Nonresident, Barbary sheep. . . . . . . . . . . . . 350.00

Nonresident, oryx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,600.00

Nonresident, ibex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,600.00

Nonresident, javelina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155.00

Nonresident, fur dealer. . . . . . . . . .[125.00] 200.00

Nonresident, trapper. . . . . . . . . . . .[345.00] 500.00

Nonresident, nongame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65.00

Resident, senior, handicapped,

fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.00

Resident, junior fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.00

Temporary fishing, one day. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.00

Temporary fishing, five days. . . . . . . . .[24.00] 30.00

Resident, senior, handicapped,

game hunting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.00

Resident, junior, game hunting. . . . . . . . . . . .10.00

Temporary game hunting, four days. . . . . . [33.00] 40.00

Second rod validation. . . . . . . . . . . . [4.00] 10.00.

C. On April 1, 2027 and on April 1 of each successive year, the state wildlife commission may adjust the fees provided by Subsection B of this section by an amount up to the total amount reflected by the annual percentage change in the consumer price index; provided that the fees shall not be adjusted below the minimum amounts of the previous year as a result of a decrease in the consumer price index, and the fees shall be adjusted on April 1, 2032 and every five years thereafter. The amount of the adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest dollar. By November 1, 2026 and by November 1 of each successive year, the department of wildlife shall post on its website the fees provided in Subsection B of this section for the next year.

D. Residents who participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program are eligible to receive a twenty-five percent discount on all license fees after qualifying with the department of wildlife.

E. As used in this section, "consumer price index" means the consumer price index, not seasonally adjusted, for all urban consumers, United States city average for all items, or its successor index, as published by the United States department of labor for a twelve-month period ending September 30."

SECTION 10. TEMPORARY PROVISION--NAME CHANGE--TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS, PERSONNEL, MONEY, APPROPRIATIONS, PROPERTY, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND STATUTORY REFERENCES--UPDATE NAME AND LOGO.--

A. The department of game and fish is renamed as the "department of wildlife".

B. The state game commission is renamed as the "state wildlife commission".

C. On July 1, 2026, all:

(1) functions, personnel, money, appropriations, records, furniture, equipment, supplies and other personal and real property of the department of game and fish are transferred to the department of wildlife;

(2) agreements and contractual obligations of the department of game and fish are binding on the department of wildlife;

(3) references in law to the department of game and fish shall be deemed to be references to the department of wildlife;

(4) functions, personnel, money, appropriations, records, furniture, equipment, supplies and other personal and real property of the state game commission are transferred to the state wildlife commission;

(5) agreements and contractual obligations of the state game commission are binding on the state wildlife commission; and

(6) references in law to the state game commission shall be deemed to be references to the state wildlife commission.

D. On July 1, 2026, statutory references in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 to:

(1) the "department of game and fish" or "department" shall be construed to be references to the department of wildlife;

(2) the "state game commission" or "commission" shall be construed to be references to the state wildlife commission; and

(3) the "director", "warden", "state warden", "state game warden" or "state game and fish warden" shall be construed to be references to the director of the department of wildlife.

E. Rules of the department of game and fish shall be rules of the department of wildlife until amended or repealed.

F. Rules of the state game commission shall be rules of the state wildlife commission until amended or repealed.

G. On July 1, 2026, or as soon thereafter as practicably possible, the department of wildlife shall update the department's name and logo; provided that existing supplies, forms, insignias, signs and logos may continue to be used until exhausted or unserviceable.

SECTION 11. TEMPORARY PROVISION--INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.--The initial appointments made to the state wildlife commission by the governor pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3 and 4 of this act shall replace the members of the state wildlife commission, whose terms shall end on January 1, 2027. Terms for the initial appointments to the commission beginning January 1, 2027 shall be as follows:

A. for position one, a one-year term;

B. for position two, a three-year term;

C. for position three, a five-year term;

D. for position four, a one-year term;

E. for position five, a three-year term;

F. for position six, a five-year term; and

G. for position seven, a five-year term.

SECTION 12. REPEAL.--Section 17-2-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1937, Chapter 23, Section 1) is repealed.

SECTION 13. EFFECTIVE DATE.--

A. The effective date of the provisions of Sections 1, 2, 5 through 8, 10 and 12 of this act is July 1, 2026.

B. The effective date of the provisions of Sections 3, 4 and 11 of this act is January 1, 2027.

C. The effective date of the provisions of Section 9 of this act is April 1, 2026.

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