SENATE BILL 129

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

David Ulibarri

FOR THE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE; CREATING THE INTERIM MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

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

     Section 1. CREATION OF INTERIM MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE--MEMBERS--APPOINTMENT--TERMS--VOTING.--

          A. There is created a joint interim committee of the legislature to be called the "military and veterans' affairs committee". The committee shall be composed of eight voting members.

          B. The New Mexico legislative council shall appoint four members from the house of representatives and four members from the senate. At the time of making the appointment, the New Mexico legislative council shall designate the chair and vice chair of the committee. Members shall be appointed so as to give the two major political parties in each house the same proportionate representation on the committee as prevails in each house; provided that in no event shall either of the parties have less than one member from each house on the committee.

          C. No action shall be taken by the committee if a majority of the total membership from either house on the committee rejects such action.

     Section 2. DUTIES OF THE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE--STAFF--SUBCOMMITTEES--REPORTING.-- 

          A. The military and veterans' affairs committee shall conduct meetings in several geographically dispersed areas of the state and shall conduct hearings related to military issues and veterans' issues. The committee shall make an annual report and recommend any necessary legislation to each session of the legislature. The committee shall request necessary action to the federal congress, the United States department of veterans affairs and the United States department of defense.

          B. The staff of the committee shall be provided by the legislative council service.

          C. Subcommittees shall be created only by majority vote of all the members appointed to the committee and with the prior approval of the New Mexico legislative council. A subcommittee shall be composed of at least one member from the senate and one member from the house of representatives, and at least one member of the minority party shall be a member of the subcommittee. All meetings and expenditures of a subcommittee shall be approved by the full committee in advance of the meeting or expenditure, and the approval shall be shown in the minutes of the committee.

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