New Mexico § 19-1-2 - Duties of land commissioner

§ 19-1-2. Duties of land commissioner

The commissioner shall have a seal with an appropriate device thereon; and such seal

affixed to any contract, deed, lease or other instrument executed by the commissioner

shall be prima facie evidence of the due execution thereof. Said commissioner shall receive and pass upon all applications for leasing or purchasing

state lands and timber; and shall execute and authenticate for the state all deeds,

leases, contracts or other instruments affecting such lands. All such leases, deeds, contracts and grants heretofore or hereafter executed shall

be entitled to record without acknowledgment, and record thereof in the county in

which the land described therein is situated shall be constructive notice to all persons

of the contents thereof. Said commissioner shall have power to provide all necessary books, blanks, records,

property, equipment and appurtenances of every kind whatsoever for the proper management

of said state land office and the lands under his control; to deed by quitclaim or

otherwise to the United States any or all claims that the state may have in and to

lands within any private land grant or reservation made or confirmed in pursuance

of authority of congress, or to such of its lands as may be needed by the United States

or for reclamation of water power sites for the purpose of selecting indemnity lands

therefor; also to such of its lands as may be desired by the United States for agricultural

experiment purposes; to collect all moneys due to the state for the lease, purchase

or use of state lands; to receive all moneys due to the state derived from any state

lands and credit said moneys so received to the separate funds created for the respective

purposes named in grants by congress, or otherwise, and he shall pay over to the state

treasurer, on or before the tenth day of the next succeeding month, all such moneys

received during each month to be credited to the several funds respectively entitled

thereto. He shall keep a full and complete record of all his official acts and shall submit

to the governor each year a report bearing date the first day of December, and at

any other time on request, which shall contain a statement of the business and expenses

of said state land office and the amount of moneys received and turned over by him

to the state treasurer for each fund, together with such recommendations as he may

deem proper for the better management and control of state lands. He shall cause to be printed biennially, for the use and information of the legislature,

the annual reports thus made to the governor for the two (2) years preceding each

regular session thereof, and he shall charge the cost of such printing to the state

lands maintenance fund hereinafter in this chapter created. He shall employ a person qualified and experienced as a geologist or petroleum engineer

who in turn is hereby authorized to appoint, with the approval of the commissioner,

such inspectors, clerks and additional assistants as he may deem necessary to collect

and compile information, under the direction and supervision of the commissioner,

relative to oil and gas leasing development and production within the state which

may affect state lands and prepare maps and reports necessary and expedient for the

proper supervision and leasing of lands belonging to the state for oil and gas purposes. The salary of said geologist or petroleum engineer and inspectors, clerks and additional

assistants as provided shall be fixed by the commissioner and said salaries and expenses

to be paid out of the state land office maintenance fund. He shall make rules and regulations for the control, management, disposition, lease

and sale of state lands and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law.