SENATE BILL 68

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Michael Padilla

AN ACT

RELATING TO CONSERVANCY DISTRICTS; REQUIRING THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTY WITHIN CERTAIN CONSERVANCY DISTRICTS TO BE DIVIDED INTO THREE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS; REQUIRING THE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS TO BE AS EQUAL IN ACREAGE AS POSSIBLE; AMENDING AND REPEALING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.

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

     SECTION 1. Section 73-14-19 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1975, Chapter 262, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

     "73-14-19. BOARDS OF DIRECTORS--MEMBERSHIP-- QUALIFICATIONS--APPORTIONMENT.--[The boards]

          A. A board of directors created [by] pursuant to Sections 73-14-18 through [73-14-32] 73-14-31 NMSA 1978 shall consist of [three] seven directors from and representing [that portion of the most populous county within the conservancy district, one director each from and representing those portions of each of the remaining counties within] the conservancy district [and one director from and representing the district at large]; provided that each director:

                [A.] (1) is a qualified elector of the conservancy district; and

                [B.] (2) resides within the:

                     (a) conservancy district and the county from which [he] the director is elected; [or, if representing the district at large, resides within one of the]

                     (b) four counties of the conservancy district, if representing the district at large; or

                     (c) single-member district from which the director was elected pursuant to Subsection C of this section, if representing the most populous county.

          B. The representation on the board of directors of the conservancy district shall be apportioned as follows:

                (1) three members shall be elected from the most populous county within the conservancy district pursuant to Subsection C of this section;

                (2) one member shall be elected from and by the qualified electors of the conservancy district at large; and

                (3) one member each shall be elected from and by the qualified electors of those portions of each of the remaining counties in the conservancy district.

          C. By January 1, 2017, that portion of the most populous county within the conservancy district shall be divided into three compact single-member districts. The single-member districts shall be as equal in acreage as practicable and numbered respectively to correspond to the number of directors pursuant to Section 73-14-26 NMSA 1978.

One director shall be elected from and by the qualified electors of each single-member district; provided that each director serving on the effective date of the provisions of this section shall serve the remainder of the director's term before being required to reside in and be elected from the single-member district assigned to the position that the director holds on the date that portion of the most populous county within the conservancy district is divided into single-member districts."

     SECTION 2. REPEAL.--Section 73-14-22 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1975, Chapter 262, Section 5) is repealed.

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is January 1, 2016.

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