46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003
PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4, SECTION 4 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO LIMIT THE TERMS OF STATE LEGISLATORS AND TO PROVIDE FOR FILLING VACANCIES.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 4 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:
"Members of the legislature shall be elected as follows:
[those senators from Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, DeBaca, Grant,
Lea, Lincoln, Luna, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Socorro,
Taos, Torrance, Union and Valencia counties for a term of six
years starting January 1, 1961, and after serving such terms
shall be elected for a term of four years thereafter; those
senators from all other counties for the] senators for terms of
four years, and members of the house of representatives for [a
term of] terms of two years. [They] Excluding service in the
legislature prior to the first session of the forty-seventh
legislature or appointment to a vacant office, no legislator
shall serve more than a total of three terms in the senate and
six terms in the house of representatives. Members of the
legislature shall be elected on the day provided by law for
holding the general election of state officers or
representatives in congress. If a vacancy occurs in the office
of senator or member of the house of representatives, for any
reason, and the legislative district is situated wholly within
one county, the county commissioners of the county wherein the
vacancy occurs shall fill such vacancy by appointment; if the
legislative district is situated within two or more counties,
the county commission of each county in the district shall
submit one name to the governor and the governor shall appoint
the legislator to fill the vacancy from the list of submitted
names.
Such legislative appointments as provided in this section shall be for a term ending on December 31, subsequent to the next succeeding general election."
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 that may be called for that purpose.