HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 104

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Edward C. Sandoval

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SERVICE AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES MEET TO DISCUSS TECHNICAL ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN REGARDING THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PROCESS.

     WHEREAS, requests have been made for more than three billion five hundred million dollars ($3,500,000,000) to fund more than six thousand four hundred capital outlay projects in the first session of the forty-seventh legislature; and

     WHEREAS, if projects approved by the legislature and the governor are to be funded as those policymakers wish, it is important that the language describing the project be correct and that the governmental entity receiving the funding be prepared to timely begin and complete the project; and

     WHEREAS, the house and senate committees that review capital outlay requests might benefit from having more information about the details of those requests;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative council service be requested to convene a working group of staff from agencies involved in the capital outlay process to discuss and seek to resolve technical issues of mutual concern, including the language used to describe capital requests, the methods that are used and that could be used to assess the readiness of entities to begin approved projects and the information that might help policymakers make more informed decisions about capital outlay requests; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff from the following agencies be requested to participate in the working group: the legislative finance committee, the department of finance and administration, the department of environment, the department of transportation, the aging and long-term services department, the Indian affairs department, the public education department, the commission on higher education, the interstate stream commission, the office of the state engineer and such other agencies as may be appropriate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group be requested to seek information on these issues from the chairs, members and staff of the standing legislative committees that review capital outlay requests; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group report its findings and recommendations, if any, to the New Mexico legislative council prior to the second session of the forty-seventh legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative council service.

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