44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 4, SECTION 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO PROVIDE THAT NEW MEXICAN TAXPAYERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DOUBLY COMPENSATE LEGISLATORS.

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

Section 1. It is proposed to amend Article 4, Section 3 of the constitution of New Mexico to read:

"A. Senators shall not be less than twenty-five years of age and representatives not less than twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. If any senator or representative permanently removes his residence from or maintains no residence in the district from which he was elected, then he shall be deemed to have resigned and his successor shall be selected as provided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in the legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries and officers of the militia who receive no salary.

B. The senate shall be composed of no more than forty-two members elected from single-member districts.

C. The house of representatives shall be composed of no more than seventy members elected from single-member districts.

D. Once following publication of the official report of each federal decennial census hereafter conducted, the legislature may by statute reapportion its membership.

E. New Mexico taxpayers shall not be required to doubly compensate members of the legislature. A legislator shall not be paid a salary derived from general fund revenues of the state of New Mexico and simultaneously receive per diem or other compensation for legislative service."

Section 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election or at any special election prior to that date which may be called for that purpose.