SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL 8

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION; PROVIDING FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 8-8-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1998, Chapter 108, Section 3) is amended to read:

     "8-8-3. PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION.--

          A. The "public regulation commission", created in Article 11, Section 1 of the constitution of New Mexico, is composed of five commissioners elected from districts as provided in that article and the Public Regulation Commission Apportionment Act.

          B. To be elected or appointed as a commissioner, the person must be qualified for office by having:

                (1) an associate or more advanced degree from an institution of higher learning that is accredited by a regional or national accrediting body and that requires face-to-face contact between its students and instructors prior to completion of the academic program; or

                (2) at least seven years of work experience in one or more of the following:

                     (a) an area regulated by the commission;

                     (b) engineering;

                     (c) finance, economics and statistics;

                     (d) law;

                     (e) accounting; or

                     (f) consumer protection and advocacy.

          [B.] C. The commission shall annually elect one of its members [chairman] chair, who shall preside at hearings. In the absence of the [chairman] chair, the commission may appoint any other member to preside."

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