Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Komadina

DATE TYPED 3/16/05

HB

SHORT TITLE Five Supreme Court Districts, CA

SB SJR 2

ANALYST Ford

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

Minimal

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (AODA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Resolution 2 proposes to amend the New Mexico constitution to provide for district-

elections of Supreme Court justices. The resolution proposes to create 5 districts, with the elec-

tors of each district electing one Supreme Court justice. Current justices would be randomly as-

signed to districts and would be eligible for retention or rejection at the next general election.

The proposed amendment is subject to voter approval.

Significant Issues

Currently, Supreme Court justices are elected on a statewide basis. Both the PDD and AOC ar-

gue that this is appropriate since the Supreme Court rules on cases of statewide interest that arise

from lower courts throughout the state.

The resolution does not require that the justice representing each district be a resident of that dis-

trict, nor does it specify if justices will be required to have district offices. AOC notes that if jus-

tices had district offices, the work of coordinating court efforts would be more difficult and ex-

pensive.

Senate Joint Resolution 2 -- Page 2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The resolution would result in minimal costs to the secretary of state to put the proposed amend-

ment on a statewide ballot. If the amendment were approved, there may be resulting minimal

administrative costs to the courts.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Would the district election of justices cause justices to take a parochial view of statewide issues.

EF/lg