SENATE BILL 984

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

INTRODUCED BY

Timothy Z. Jennings

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; ALLOWING BRANCH COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ELECT BOARD MEMBERS FROM DISTRICTS.

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

     Section 1. A new section of Chapter 21, Article 14 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] BRANCH COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD--OPTIONAL FORM.--

          A. The branch community college board of a branch community college may, by adoption of a resolution, establish a governing board composed of five members elected from single-member districts within the branch community college district for staggered terms. The single-member districts shall be compact and contiguous and composed of populations as equal as practicable. Members shall be required to reside in the districts from which elected. If a member no longer resides in the election district from which that member was elected, the member shall be deemed to have resigned and the vacancy created by the resignation shall be filled in the manner provided by law for the filling of vacancies on the board of a branch community college.

          B. The board members shall draw lots to determine which board position will coincide with which election district during the meeting at which the board is resolved to change to a districted board.

          C. The board shall redistrict once after each federal decennial census. The board may adopt a resolution to have the board's election districts coincide with the county commission districts if the county commission has five districts and the boundaries of the county and branch community college district are identical."

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