HOUSE BILL 413
48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008
INTRODUCED BY
Teresa A. Zanetti
AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC MONEY; PROHIBITING INVESTMENT IN HEDGE FUNDS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. Section 6-8-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1957, Chapter 179, Section 7, as amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 194, Section 1 and by Laws 2005, Chapter 240, Section 1) is amended to read:
"6-8-7. POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE INVESTMENT OFFICER--
INVESTMENT POLICY--INVESTMENT MANAGERS.--
A. Subject to the limitations, conditions and restrictions contained in policy-making regulations or resolutions adopted by the council and subject to prior authorization by the council, the state investment officer may make purchases, sales, exchanges, investments and reinvestments of the assets of all funds administered under the supervision of the council in accordance with the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. The state investment officer shall see that money invested is at all times handled in the best interests of the state.
B. The state investment officer shall formulate and recommend to the council for approval investment regulations or resolutions pertaining to the kind or nature of investments and limitations, conditions and restrictions upon the methods, practices or procedures for investment, reinvestment, purchase, sale or exchange transactions that should govern the activities of the investment office; provided, however, that the state investment officer shall not recommend and the council shall not approve investment in a hedge fund. As used in this subsection, "hedge fund" means a private investment fund or pool, including a relative value fund, market neutral fund, arbitrage fund or long or short equity fund, the assets of which are managed by a professional management firm that:
(1) trades or invests, through public market or private transactions, in securities, commodities, currency, derivatives or similar classes of financial assets; or
(2) is not an investment company pursuant to the provisions of 15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(1) or 15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(7).
C. The council shall meet at least once each month, and as often as exigencies may demand, to consult with the state investment officer concerning the work of the investment office. The council shall have access to all files and records of the investment office and shall require the state investment officer to report on and provide information necessary to the performance of council functions. The council may hire one or more investment management firms to advise the council with respect to the council's overall investment plan for the investment of all funds managed by the investment office and pay reasonable compensation for such advisory services from the assets of the applicable funds, subject to budgeting and appropriation by the legislature. The terms of any such investment management services contract shall incorporate the statutory requirements for investment of funds under the council's jurisdiction.
D. All funds managed by the state investment officer shall be managed in accordance with the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. With the approval of the council, the state investment officer may employ investment management services to invest the funds and may pay reasonable compensation for investment management services from the assets of the applicable funds, subject to budgeting and appropriation by the legislature.
E. For funds available for investment for more than one year, the state investment officer may contract with any state agency to provide investment advisory or investment
management services, separately or through a pooled investment fund, provided the state agency enters into a joint powers agreement with the council and that state agency pays at least the direct cost of such services. Notwithstanding any statutory provision governing state agency investments, the state investment officer may invest funds available from a state agency pursuant to a joint powers agreement in any type of investment permitted for the land grant permanent funds under the prudent investor rule, except as provided in Subsection B of this section. In performing investment services for a state agency, the council and the state investment officer are exempt from the New Mexico Securities Act of 1986. As used in this subsection, "state agency" means any branch, agency, department, board, instrumentality, institution or political subdivision of the state, the New Mexico finance authority, the New Mexico mortgage finance authority and any tax-exempt private endowment entity whose sole beneficiary is a state agency.
F. The state investment officer shall provide quarterly performance reports to the legislative finance committee. Annually, the state investment officer shall ratify and provide written investment policies, including any amendments, to the legislative finance committee."
Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2008.
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