0001|                            HOUSE BILL 276
    |
0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                            JOSE R. ABEYTA
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|                                   
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                                AN ACT
    |
0011|     RELATING TO LAND GRANTS; CREATING A LAND GRANT INTERIM
    |
0012|     COMMITTEE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
    |
0013|     
    |
0014|     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
    |
0015|          Section 1.  LAND GRANT INTERIM COMMITTEE--CREATION--
    |
0016|     TERMINATION.--The "land grant interim committee" is created. 
    |
0017|     The committee shall function from the date of its appointment
    |
0018|     until December 1 prior to the second session of the forty-
    |
0019|     fourth legislature.
    |
0020|          Section 2.  MEMBERSHIP--APPOINTMENT--VACANCIES.--The land
    |
0021|     grant interim committee shall be composed of eight members. 
    |
0022|     The New Mexico legislative council shall appoint four members
    |
0023|     from the house of representatives and four members from the
    |
0024|     senate.  At the time of making the appointments, the New
    |
0025|     Mexico legislative council shall designate the chairman and
    |
<center>- 1 -</center>

0001|     vice chairman of the committee.  Members shall be appointed to
    |
0002|     give the two major political parties in each house the same
    |
0003|     proportionate representation on the committee as prevails in
    |
0004|     each house; provided, however, that in no event shall either
    |
0005|     of the parties have less than one member from each house on
    |
0006|     the committee.  Members may be removed from the committee by
    |
0007|     the New Mexico legislative council at the request of the
    |
0008|     committee chairman for nonattendance according to council
    |
0009|     policy.  Vacancies on the committee, however caused, may be
    |
0010|     filled by the New Mexico legislative council, or the council
    |
0011|     may reduce the size of the committee by not making replacement
    |
0012|     appointments and in that case need not readjust party
    |
0013|     representation.  No action shall be taken by the committee if
    |
0014|     a majority of the total membership from either house on the
    |
0015|     committee rejects the action.
    |
0016|          Section 3.  DUTIES--REPORT.--
    |
0017|               A.  After its appointment, the land grant interim
    |
0018|     committee shall hold one organizational meeting to develop a
    |
0019|     work plan, budget and schedule of meetings for the ensuing
    |
0020|     interim.  The work plan and budget shall be submitted to the
    |
0021|     New Mexico legislative council for approval.
    |
0022|               B.  Upon approval of the work plan and budget by
    |
0023|     the New Mexico legislative council, the land grant interim
    |
0024|     committee shall:
    |
0025|                    (1)  study existing law regarding land grants
    |
<center>- 2 -</center>

0001|     and develop legislation to improve existing law;
    |
0002|                    (2)  gather testimony from land grant heirs
    |
0003|     from across New Mexico to acquire an understanding of the
    |
0004|     issues and concerns facing them; and  
    |
0005|                    (3)  gather testimony from other community
    |
0006|     groups and state agencies to understand the relationship
    |
0007|     between land grant heirs and other property owners in New
    |
0008|     Mexico. 
    |
0009|               C.  The committee shall report its findings and
    |
0010|     recommendations for the consideration of the first session of
    |
0011|     the forty-fourth legislature and for the second session of the
    |
0012|     forty-fourth legislature.  The report and suggested
    |
0013|     legislation shall be made available to the New Mexico
    |
0014|     legislative council on or before December 15 preceding each
    |
0015|     session.  
    |
0016|          Section 4.  STAFF.--The staff for the land grant interim
    |
0017|     committee shall be provided by the legislative council
    |
0018|     service.
    |
0019|          Section 5.  APPROPRIATION.--Twenty thousand dollars
    |
0020|     ($20,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the
    |
0021|     legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal year
    |
0022|     1999 for the purpose of paying the salaries and expenses of
    |
0023|     technical, legal and clerical staff; for purchasing equipment
    |
0024|     and supplies; and for reimbursing the per diem and mileage
    |
0025|     expenses of the land grant interim committee members.  Any
    |
<center>- 3 -</center>

0001|     unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of
    |
0002|     fiscal year 1999 shall revert to the general fund.
    |
0003|                              
    |