New Mexico § 2-3-1 - New Mexico legislative council created

§ 2-3-1. New Mexico legislative council created

There is created a legislative joint committee of the house and senate to be designated

“the New Mexico legislative council,” composed of sixteen members, eight from the

house and eight from the senate. The president pro tempore and the minority floor leader of the senate and the speaker

of the house of representatives and the minority floor leader of the house shall automatically

be members of the council. Six of the remaining members shall be appointed from the house of representatives

by the speaker; provided that, if the minority is entitled to more than one member,

the additional minority members shall be appointed by the speaker only from recommendations

made by the minority floor leader, although the speaker shall retain the right to

reject any such recommendations; and six of the remaining members shall be appointed

from the senate by the committees' committee or, if the appointments are made in the

interim, by the president pro tempore after consultation with and agreement of a majority

of the members of the committees' committee. If the minority is entitled to more than one member, one of the remaining six members

shall be appointed by the senate minority floor leader. The appointed members of the council shall be appointed from each house so as to

give the two political parties having the most members in each house the same total

proportionate representation on the council as prevails in that house; provided that

in the computation, major fractions shall be counted as whole numbers, and in no event

shall either of the two major parties have less than one member from each house. The members shall be appointed for terms of two years or less expiring on the first

day of the regular session held in odd-numbered years. The term of any member shall terminate when such member ceases to be a member of

the legislature. Provided, however, that members of the council reelected to the legislature shall

continue to serve as members of the council until their successors are appointed. Vacancies on the council may be filled for the unexpired term by appointment from

the house or senate respectively by the respective appointing authority which makes

the original appointments and subject to the same recommendations; provided such

new members must be from the same body of the legislature and the same party from

which their predecessors were appointed. The council shall elect such other officers as may be deemed necessary from among

its own members. The officers shall be elected for terms coterminous with their membership on the

council. The speaker and the president pro tempore shall be co-chairmen of the council. No action shall be taken by the council if a majority of the total membership from

either house on the council rejects such action. This 1978 amendment shall not be construed to cut short the term of any member already

appointed to the council.