REQUESTING THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE DISABLEMENT TO MAKE ANNUAL PRESENTATIONS TO CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE BODIES.

WHEREAS, the advisory council on workers' compensation and occupational disease disablement was created in 1990 to assist the workers' compensation administration to carry out its responsibilities in providing compensation for workers injured during the course of employment; and

WHEREAS, the council meets at least twice each year to review the entire work of the workers' compensation administration, including all claims and dispositions; and

WHEREAS, the advisory council is charged with the responsibility to make recommendations relating to the adoption of rules and legislation; and

WHEREAS, the advisory council is responsible for making recommendations regarding the method and form of statistical data collections; and

WHEREAS, another major responsibility of the advisory council is to monitor the performance of the workers' compensation and occupational disease disablement system in the implementation of legislative directives; and

WHEREAS, close coordination between the advisory council and the legislature cannot be achieved solely through publishing an annual report;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the advisory council on workers' compensation and occupational disease disablement make presentations to the legislative finance committee and the New Mexico legislative council at their November meetings, and to any other interim legislative committee designated by the New Mexico legislative council, on recommendations for legislative changes in the Workers' Compensation Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be sent to the workers' compensation administration, the advisory council on workers' compensation and occupational disease disablement, the New Mexico legislative council and the legislative finance committee.