April 9, 1999

The Honorable Raymond G. Sanchez and

Members of the House of Representatives

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

Honorable Speaker and Members of the House:

I have this day VETOED and am returning HOUSE BILL 834, as amended,

enacted by the Forty-Fourth Legislature, First Session, 1999.

This legislation requires telephone companies to bill intrastate long-distance phone charges at increments of one tenth of a minute. While incremental billing would seemingly benefit many New Mexicans I have vetoed this legislation because it creates a disparity. The bill does not require the local telephone companies to bill and charge long distance companies for access in one-tenth minute increments. Accordingly these companies would be required to pay the local telephone companies even more in access charges than they receive from their customers.

Sincerely,

Gary E. Johnson

Governor