45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4, SECTION 5 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO ALLOW ALL REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE SIXTY-DAY SESSIONS WITHOUT SUBJECT MATTER RESTRICTIONS AND TO REQUIRE A THIRTY-DAY RECESS AFTER THE FIRST THIRTY DAYS OF A SIXTY-DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

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

Section 1. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 5 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:

"[A.] Each regular session of the legislature shall begin annually at 12:00 noon on the third Tuesday of January. Every regular session of the legislature [convening during an odd-numbered year] shall remain in session not to exceed sixty days, with a thirty-day recess between the first thirty days of the session and the remainder of the session [and every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall remain in session not to exceed thirty days]. No special session of the legislature shall exceed thirty days.

[B. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall consider only the following:

(1) budgets, appropriations and revenue bills;

(2) bills drawn pursuant to special messages of the governor; and

(3) bills of the last previous regular session vetoed by the governor.]"

Section 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date which may be called for that purpose.