44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO STUDY OPTIONS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE INTERIM COMMITTEES AND TO FOCUS THE WORK OF THE REMAINING COMMITTEES.

WHEREAS, members of the legislature and many members of the public value the work performed between legislative sessions by legislative interim committees and the value of that work might increase if the number of committees could be reduced and their tasks narrowed; and

WHEREAS, during the 1998 interim, there were eight interim committees created by the legislative council in addition to the eight interim committees and oversight committees already created by statute and in addition to the permanent finance and education committees; and

WHEREAS, it is increasingly difficult for New Mexico's citizen-legislators to productively serve on this number of interim committees; and

WHEREAS, during the current legislative session, numerous proposals have been made to create, either in law or through the legislative council, even more interim committees to deal with a variety of issues;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative council be requested to study the feasibility and potential benefits of reducing the number of legislative interim committees and focusing the work of the remaining committees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be delivered to the co-chairmen of the legislative council.