REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO APPOINT LEGISLATORS TO A TASK FORCE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY AND MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES STUDYING TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND FRANCHISE ISSUES; REQUESTING MUNICIPALITIES TO HOLD NEW ENTRANTS TO THE INDUSTRY TO THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS CURRENT PROVIDERS.

WHEREAS, the telecommunications industry is experiencing change due to technological advances; and

WHEREAS, the New Mexico municipal league has agreed to provide to municipalities a model ordinance to enact a twelve-month moratorium on renewing franchises for telecommunications providers; and

WHEREAS, the telecommunications industry and municipalities have agreed to form a task force to study telecommunications franchise issues; and

WHEREAS, the objective of the task force is the development of a statewide model for agreements between municipalities and telecommunications providers, and it may be desirable to have legislative input into such a model agreement; and

WHEREAS, until a model agreement is reached between the industry and the New Mexico municipal league, it may be desirable to ensure that new entrants to the telecommunications industry in New Mexico be bound by the same requirements as exist in current agreements with like telecommunications providers within the municipality;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to appoint two members of the house of representatives and two members of the senate to participate in a task force comprised of a representative of the cable communications industry, representatives of the telecommunications industry and representatives of New Mexico's municipalities studying telecommunications franchise issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to direct the appropriate interim committee to receive a report from the task force of its findings and recommendations prior to the second session of the forty-fifth legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that New Mexico's municipalities be requested to hold new entrants to the telecommunications industry to the requirements of current telecommunications providers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative council service, the New Mexico municipal league and representatives of the telecommunications industry.