0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 53
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          CARLOS R. CISNEROS
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CREATE AN
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0012|     ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO STUDY LAND GRANTS IN NEW MEXICO.
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0013|     
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0014|          WHEREAS, New Mexico has a unique history in the
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0015|     acquisition of land due to the substantial number of Spanish
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0016|     and Mexican land grants that were an integral part of the
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0017|     colonization and growth of this area of the country; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, various provisions of the treaties signed under
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0019|     prior sovereigns have not yet been fully implemented in the
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0020|     spirit of Article 6 of the constitution of the United States;
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0021|     and
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0022|          WHEREAS, serious questions still exist about prior
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0023|     ownership, particularly about certain public lands; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, there are numerous land grants throughout the
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0025|     state with different concerns and issues that need to be
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0001|     heard; and
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0002|          WHEREAS, the legislature could take action to assist land
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0003|     grant heirs to balance the demands of the traditional ways of
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0004|     life with the changes introduced by a growing population and
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0005|     advanced technology;
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0006|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0007|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the office of the attorney general be
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0008|     requested to create an advisory committee to:
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0009|               A.  conduct statewide hearings;
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0010|               B.  study existing law regarding land grants and
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0011|     develop legislation to improve existing law for the purpose of
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0012|     supporting and promoting the interests of community land
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0013|     grants;
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0014|               C.  gather testimony from land grant heirs from
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0015|     across New Mexico to acquire an understanding of the issues
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0016|     and concerns facing them;
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0017|               D.  gather testimony from other community groups
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0018|     and governmental entities to understand the relationship
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0019|     between land grant heirs and other property owners in New
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0020|     Mexico; and
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0021|               E.  report to the appropriate legislative interim
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0022|     committee and to the governor recommended changes to existing
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0023|     law, including ownership, water rights, natural resources,
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0024|     sovereignty, land use, industry, eminent domain, planning and
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0025|     zoning prior to the first and second sessions of the forty-
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0001|     fourth legislature and the first session of the forty-fifth
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0002|     legislature; and
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0003|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0004|     sent to the office of the attorney general.
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0005|                              
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