SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL 226

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; ADDING DUTIES FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; CONVENING A LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP WORK GROUP; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 9-25-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005, Chapter 289, Section 9) is amended to read:

     "9-25-9. ADDITIONAL DUTIES.--Consistent with constitutional provisions relating to the control and management of the educational institutions enumerated in Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico, the department shall:

          A. cooperate with colleges and universities to create a statewide public agenda to meet higher education needs and goals;

          B. periodically study and report to the governor and the legislative finance committee on enrollment capacity needs over a ten-year period, based on state demographic models, academic program demands, institutional competencies and infrastructure, state work force needs, economic development goals and other factors; [and]

          C. by November 1 of each year, present to the legislature a comprehensive funding request and a legislative priorities list for all higher education. The funding request and priorities shall encompass the needs of all public post-secondary educational institutions and programs; and

          D. convene annually a work group to study issues relating to the solvency of the lottery tuition fund and report the findings and recommendations of the work group by October 1 of each year to the governor, the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee. The report shall address solvency and make recommendations for legislative lottery scholarship eligibility. The work group shall be staffed by the department and chaired by the secretary. The work group shall include at least the following:

                (1) the secretary;

                (2) the presidents of two research universities or their designees;

                (3) the presidents of two comprehensive universities or their designees;

                (4) the presidents of two independent community colleges or their designees;

                (5) the president or the president's designee of one branch college;

                (6) a student representative selected from a college or university student organization;

                (7) a member of the legislative education study committee appointed by the committee chair;

                (8) a member of the legislative finance committee appointed by the committee chair;

                (9) a representative of the New Mexico lottery authority appointed by the authority's chair; and

                (10) a representative of the department of finance and administration appointed by the secretary of finance and administration."

     SECTION 2. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

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