SENATE BILL 246

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

David M. Gallegos

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

REQUIRING THE NATIONAL MOTTO, "IN GOD WE TRUST", TO BE DISPLAYED ON ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN NEW MEXICO AND ON ALL VEHICLE REGISTRATION PLATES.

 

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 13, Article 8 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] NATIONAL MOTTO TO BE DISPLAYED ON ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN NEW MEXICO.--

          A. Contingent on receipt of donations as provided in Subsection C of this section, the national motto, "In God We Trust", shall be prominently displayed in a conspicuous place on all public buildings owned or leased by the state or a political subdivision of the state; all public school and public post-secondary education classrooms and other buildings belonging to school districts, charter schools and public post-secondary educational institutions; and all public or publicly supported libraries in the state. The display shall be easily readable and on a plaque of metal or other material or as a durable poster or framed paper of at least eleven inches by fourteen inches and shall include a true and correct representation of the American flag centered under the national motto.

          B. Responsibility for implementing the requirement of Subsection A of this section belongs to:

                (1) the secretary of general services for buildings under the secretary's control;

                (2) the appropriate administrative head of state agencies whose property is not under the control of the general services department;

                (3) the president or other appropriate official of a public post-secondary educational institution;

                (4) the governing bodies of political subdivisions of the state, except public schools;

                (5) the superintendent of a school district or head administrator of a charter school; and

                (6) the person in charge of a publicly supported library that is not controlled by a state agency or local public body.

          C. Money required to purchase national motto plaques, posters or framed paper shall be provided through donations."

     SECTION 2. Section 66-3-14 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 34, as amended) is amended to read:

     "66-3-14. REGISTRATION PLATES OR VALIDATING STICKERS TO BE FURNISHED BY DEPARTMENT--REFLECTIVE MATERIAL.--

          A. The department upon registering a vehicle shall issue a registration plate or a validating sticker to the owner of the vehicle. The validating sticker may be designed and required to be placed on the registration plate or elsewhere on the vehicle as prescribed by the department.

          B. Each registration plate shall have a background of reflective material such that the registration number assigned to the vehicle is plainly legible from a distance of one hundred feet at night. The colors shall include those of the state flag, except prestige and special plates.

          C. Each registration plate shall have displayed upon it:

                (1) the registration number assigned to the person to whom it was issued; [and]

                (2) the name of this state; and

                (3) the national motto, "In God We Trust".

          D. The department shall issue no registration plates for privately owned vehicles that contain the words "staff officer" or any other title except as otherwise provided by law.

          E. All registration plates for private vehicles shall be alike in form except for the owner's registration number. The department shall adopt registration number systems for registration plates.

          F. In lieu of or in addition to a registration plate or sticker for commercial motor vehicles, the department may issue an electronic identifying device.

          G. The division may increase the cost of registration plates to cover the cost of adding the national motto on each plate if the cost of producing the plate is increased by adding the motto. The division may issue registration plates that it has on hand on July 1, 2021, but all new orders for registration plates shall require the inclusion of the motto required in Paragraph (3) of Subsection C of this section."

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2021.

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