HOUSE BILL 35

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first special session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Zachary J. Cook

AN ACT

RELATING TO FISCAL SOLVENCY; REQUIRING A HIRING FREEZE IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND REDUCING EXECUTIVE AGENCY BUDGETS FOR VACANCIES.

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

     Section 1. EXECUTIVE HIRING FREEZE--VACANCY SAVINGS--APPROPRIATION REDUCTIONS--FISCAL YEAR 2010 OPERATING BUDGETS.--

          A. The legislature finds that the current fiscal year crisis requires extraordinary measures to ensure fiscal solvency for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

          B. A hiring freeze shall be in effect for the executive department of state government for the remainder of fiscal year 2010. Positions vacant on the effective date of this act shall remain vacant for the remainder of the fiscal year.

          C. Twenty-nine million dollars ($29,000,000) is reduced from appropriations to executive agencies in Section 4 of the General Appropriation Act of 2009, which amount represents vacancy savings. The department of finance and administration shall reduce the budgets and adjust the allotments of all executive agencies with vacancies by the cumulative amount that is mid-point of the salary range for each vacant position, along with the cost of attendant employee benefits. The department shall reduce fiscal year 2010 operating budgets and allotments to comply with the provisions of this act and may reduce appropriations from other state funds, internal service/interagency transfers and federal funds as necessary to match the general fund reductions that the new operating budgets may provide.

- 2 -