HOUSE BILL 890

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Daniel R. Foley

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT; CREATING THE SPORTS AUTHORITY DIVISION OF THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT; DEFINING ITS POWERS AND DUTIES; CONFORMING THE LAW TO THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT; REPEALING THE NEW MEXICO SPORTS AUTHORITY ACT.

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

     Section 1. Section 9-15A-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 21, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

     "9-15A-3. DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED.--[There is created in the executive branch] The "tourism department" is created in the executive branch. The department shall be a cabinet department and shall consist of, but not be limited to, [three] six divisions as follows:

          A. the [travel and marketing] promotion division;

          B. the New Mexico magazine division; [and]

          C. the sports authority division;

          D. the tourism development division;

          E. the marketing division; and

          [C.] F. the administrative services division."

     Section 2. A new section of the Tourism Department Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] DUTIES OF THE SPORTS AUTHORITY DIVISION.--

          A. The sports authority division of the department shall:

                (1) develop an overall strategic plan for recruiting and retaining all forms of professional and amateur sporting events;

                (2) identify existing infrastructure for sporting activities, identify and propose future infrastructure and locations and identify opportunities for private and public partnerships on infrastructure;

                (3) foster relationships between sporting event organizers and event sponsors; and

                (4) foster relationships among state and local agencies and provide advice and direction needed to increase the number and quality of sporting events held in New Mexico.

          B. The sports authority division may promulgate rules as necessary to:

                (1) provide additional professional and amateur sports participation by New Mexico residents;

                (2) provide for the welfare of participants in sporting events;

                (3) provide for adequate safety measures for and ethical operation of sporting events;

                (4) recruit and maintain professional and amateur sporting events to be held in New Mexico; and

                (5) address the fiscal and tax implications of Paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection."

     Section 3. TEMPORARY PROVISION--TRANSFER OF PERSONNEL, PROPERTY, CONTRACTS AND REFERENCES IN LAW.--On the effective date of this act:

          A. all functions, personnel, appropriations, money, records, equipment, supplies and other property of the New Mexico sports authority shall be transferred to the sports authority division of the tourism department;

          B. all contracts of the New Mexico sports authority shall be binding and effective on the sports authority division of the tourism department; and

          C. all references in law to the New Mexico sports authority shall be deemed to be references to the sports authority division of the tourism department.

      Section 4. REPEAL.--Sections 9-15B-1 through 9-15B-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005, Chapter 197, Sections 1 through 6) are repealed.