44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS; CHANGING DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE SECRETARY OF CORRECTIONS TO INCLUDE CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH INMATE MENTORING PROGRAMS.

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

Section 1. Section 9-3-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1977, Chapter 257, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

"9-3-5. SECRETARY--DUTIES AND GENERAL POWERS.--

A. The secretary of corrections is responsible to the governor for the operation of the corrections department. It is his duty to manage all operations of the department and to administer and enforce the laws with which he or the department is charged.

B. To perform his duties, the secretary of corrections has every power expressly enumerated in the laws, whether granted to the secretary [of the department] or any division of the department, except where authority conferred upon any division [therein] is explicitly exempted from the secretary's authority by statute. In accordance with these provisions, the secretary shall:

(1) except as otherwise provided in the Corrections Department Act, exercise general supervisory and appointing authority over all department employees, subject to any applicable personnel laws and regulations;

(2) delegate authority to subordinates as he deems necessary and appropriate, clearly delineating such delegated authority and the limitations thereto;

(3) organize the department into those organizational units he deems will enable it to function most efficiently, subject to any provisions of law requiring or establishing specific organizational units;

(4) within the limitations of available appropriations and applicable laws, employ and fix the compensation of those persons necessary to discharge his duties;

(5) take administrative action by issuing orders and instructions, not inconsistent with the law, to [assure] ensure implementation of and compliance with the provisions of law [with the] for whose administration or execution [of which] he is responsible and to enforce those orders and instructions by appropriate administrative action or actions in the courts;

(6) conduct research and studies that will improve the operations of the department and the provision of services to the citizens of the state;

(7) provide courses of instruction and practical training for employees of the department and other persons involved in the administration of programs with the objective of improving the operations and efficiency of administration;

(8) prepare an annual budget of the department;

(9) provide cooperation, at the request of heads of administratively attached agencies, in order to:

(a) minimize or eliminate duplication of services and jurisdictional conflicts;

(b) coordinate activities and resolve problems of mutual concern; and

(c) resolve by agreement the manner and extent to which the department shall provide budgeting, record keeping and related clerical assistance to administratively attached agencies;

(10) appoint, with the governor's consent, a "director" for each division [a "director"]. These appointed positions are exempt from the provisions of the Personnel Act. Persons appointed to these positions shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary;

(11) give bond as provided in the Surety Bond Act. The department shall pay the costs of [such] the bonds; [and]

(12) require performance bonds of such department employees and officers as he deems necessary, as provided in the Surety Bond Act. The department shall pay the costs of [such] the bonds; and

(13) provide for crime prevention efforts by administering a program based on internet communications using volunteer inmates to mentor school children on the consequences of crime.

C. The secretary of corrections may apply for and receive, with the governor's approval, in the name of the corrections department any public or private funds, including but not limited to United States government funds, available to the department to carry out its programs, duties or services.

D. Where functions of departments overlap or a function assigned to one department could better be performed by another department, a secretary may recommend appropriate legislation to the next session of the legislature for its approval.

E. The secretary of corrections may make and adopt such reasonable and procedural rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the corrections department and its divisions. No rule or regulation promulgated by the director of any division in carrying out the functions and duties of the division shall be effective until approved by the secretary. Unless otherwise provided by statute, no regulation affecting any person or agency outside the department shall be adopted, amended or repealed without a public hearing on the proposed action before the secretary or a hearing officer designated by him. The public hearing shall be held in Santa Fe unless otherwise permitted by statute. Notice of the subject matter of the regulation, the action proposed to be taken, the time and place of the hearing, the manner in which interested persons may present their views and the method by which copies of the proposed regulation, proposed amendment or repeal of an existing regulation may be obtained shall be published once at least thirty days prior to the hearing date in a newspaper of general circulation and mailed at least thirty days prior to the hearing date to all persons who have made a written request for advance notice of hearing. All rules and regulations shall be filed in accordance with the State Rules Act."