SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE RESOLUTION 1
55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022
A RESOLUTION
AMENDING THE SENATE RULES FOR ANY SESSION OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE HELD IN 2022.
WHEREAS, Senate Rule 24-1 provides that the rules of the senate may be amended by a two-thirds' majority vote of the members of the senate or by a majority vote of the members of the senate upon the recommendation of the senate rules committee;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the following new senate rules, for any session of the fifty-fifth legislature held in 2022, be adopted to read:
"2-4 Each senator may permit staff responsible to that senator to perform assigned duties from within the capitol or from a remote location; provided that a staff member required to isolate in accordance with federal centers for disease control and prevention guidelines shall follow those guidelines."; and
"4-1-1 If the federal centers for disease control and prevention recommends masking in public places, the presiding officer shall ensure that all members, staff, employees and guests who are physically present in the senate chambers wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose, pursuant to the recommendations of the federal centers for disease control and prevention, and not consume food in the senate chambers."; and
"6-1-1 If the federal centers for disease control and prevention recommends masking in public places, the sergeant-at-arms shall ensure that all members, staff, employees and guests who are physically present in the senate gallery, senate committee rooms and the senate hallways wear a mask that covers the mouth and nose, pursuant to the recommendations of the federal centers for disease control and prevention, and not consume food in those areas."; and
"7-1-1 A senator shall be considered to be present and in attendance for the purposes of establishing a quorum, doing business, satisfying a call or voting during a floor session if the member is physically present or participating by simultaneous, remote electronic means, from within the capitol, as verified by the sergeant-at-arms. If a call is satisfied, members within the capitol shall participate during the debate from the floor or the member's capitol office and vote on the issue that is the subject of the call."; and
"7-1-2 A senator shall be considered to be present and in attendance for the purposes of establishing a quorum, doing business or voting during standing committee meetings if the member is physically present or participating by simultaneous, remote electronic means and is visually present, or if participating by telephone, is confirmed to be present by voice, as confirmed by the committee chair, from within the capitol."; and
"7-1-3 A senator who is required to isolate or quarantine as provided by the guidance of the federal centers for disease control and prevention may continue to participate via simultaneous, remote electronic means from outside the capitol. A senator with a medical condition that classifies the senator as having high risk for mortality from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, as defined by the federal centers for disease control and prevention, may participate via simultaneous, remote electronic means from outside the capitol upon providing to the senator's respective floor leader or the president pro tempore documentation from a physician, nurse practitioner or other advanced practice medical professional licensed in New Mexico verifying the underlying condition. In the event of a call of the senate, members participating remotely from outside the capitol who have not been excused or necessarily prevented from being present shall be considered present for the purposes of the call. If a call is satisfied, members participating remotely who are considered present shall participate during the debate and vote on the issue that is the subject of the call."; and
"7-19 Members of the senate, staff, employees and guests shall wear face masks or respirators, as recommended by the federal centers for disease control and prevention, covering the mouth and nose when physically present in the senate chamber, galleries, lobby, senate committee rooms and rooms connected therewith. Failure to do so shall constitute a violation of these rules, and violators are subject to disciplinary action and removal from the chamber or committee room. A senator who is not compliant with this rule in the senate chamber or committee room may participate remotely from the member's office."; and
"7-20 Legislators participating via simultaneous, remote electronic means on the senate floor in any senate standing committee shall be visually present. A legislator who is not visually present when called upon shall be listed as absent, unless excused. No legislator shall be logged in to a senate committee while simultaneously logged in or present in any other legislative committee meeting or floor session, nor shall a senator be simultaneously logged in to be present on the senate floor and in a senate committee."; and
"9-5-9 Meetings shall be staffed by one or more hosts to facilitate and allow participation by the committee members, expert witnesses and the public. The chair, in consultation with the ranking member, may determine the duration of public comment allowed. Each standing committee may also receive public comment by email."; and
"22-3 Courtesy memorials and certificates shall not be read aloud on the senate floor."; and
"23-14 The president pro tempore may set occupancy limits for any of the space occupied by senate committees and may reassign committee rooms and the senate floor as necessary to enable sufficient social distancing for members, staff and the public."; and
"24-3 In the event of a public health emergency while the senate is in session, the senate shall adhere to health guidelines as outlined by the federal centers for disease control and prevention and as maintained on the legislature's website for the senate when the senate is in session."; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following senate rules be amended to read:
"7-18 Members of the senate shall dress in business attire befitting the decorum of the senate and the wearing of bolo ties shall be permitted, regardless of whether the member is participating in person or via simultaneous, remote electronic means. All persons permitted access to the floor of the senate shall be held to the same standard."; and
"9-1-2 In appointing the standing committees, the committees' committee shall designate the [chairman] chair, vice [chairman] chair and the ranking member who shall be a member of the committee [who is not a member of the chairman's political party] and who does not hold a leadership position in either caucus or the chamber. The ranking member of a standing committee shall not be of the same political party as the chair. In designating the chair, vice chair or ranking member, the committees' committee shall consider [each member's seniority in the senate and length of continuous service on the committee and] the preference of each member's respective leader. No member designated to serve as the [chairman or vice chairman] chair of a standing committee shall serve [in either position] as chair on any other committee; provided that no vice chair of the senate finance committee may be chair of another committee or hold a leadership position in either caucus or the chamber.".
- 7 -