Summary
The New Mexico Legislature (Spanish: Legislatura de Nuevo México) is the legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate.
Source: Wikipedia
OnAir Post: NM Legislature
News
What prevailed
State budget: Near the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, state economists projected a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Thanks to an infusion of federal pandemic relief money and much more optimistic revenue projections from oil and gas, the state government will increase spending by 4.8 percent, or $373 million. The proposed $7.4 billion budget passed both chambers in the final days of the session and is now headed to the governor.
Pandemic relief: Those hit hardest by the pandemic will benefit from Senate Bill 3, which the governor signed into law. It offers long-term, low-interest loans up to $150,000 to eligible New Mexico businesses and nonprofits.
Abortion rights: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made history when she signed Senate Bill 10, striking a 1969 law from the books that made it a crime to perform an abortion. The move came after weeks of emotional testimony from people on both sides of the argument as abortion-rights advocates feared a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court might weaken or overturn the historic Roe v. Wade ruling.
About
Source: Wikipedia
History
The New Mexico Legislature was established when New Mexico officially became a state and was admitted to the union in 1912. In 1922, Bertha M. Paxton became the first woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature, serving one term in the House of Representatives.
Session structure and operations
The Legislature meets in regular session on the third Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year. The New Mexico Constitution limits the regular session to 60 calendar days, every other year it is 30 days.[ The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, while the Speaker of the House is elected from that body in a closed-door majority-member caucus. Both have wide latitude in choosing committee membership in their respective houses and have a large impact on lawmaking in the state.
While only the Governor can call the Legislature into special sessions, the Legislature can call itself into an extraordinary session. The Governor may call as many sessions as he or she wishes. The New Mexico Constitution does not limit the duration of each special session; lawmakers may consider only those issues designated by the Governor in his or her “call,” or proclamation convening the special session (though other issues may be added by the Governor during a session).
Any bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor takes effect 90 days after its passage unless two-thirds of each house votes to give the bill immediate effect, earlier effect (before 90 day period), or later effect (after 90 day period).
Districting
The legislature consists of 70 representatives and 42 senators. Each member of the House represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico. Each member of the Senate represents roughly 43,300 residents. Currently the Democratic Party holds a majority in both of the chambers of New Mexico Legislature, and holds the Governor’s office.
Redistricting
A legislative committee is assigned by the governor to meet every 10 years based on the outcome of the United States Census to redistrict the boundaries of districts for the state legislature, and congressional districts.
Term limits
Currently, there are no term limits for legislators. The longest current member of the legislature has served since 1972. House members are elected every 2 years, while Senate members are elected every 4 years.
Party summary
State Senate
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 27 | 15 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 1, 2015 – Mar 14, 2015 | 25 | 17 | 42 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2015 – Apr 5, 2015 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 1 |
| Apr 5, 2015 – Jan 17, 2017 | 24 | 18 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 17, 2017 – Jan 19, 2021 | 26 | 16 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 19, 2021 – present | 27 | 15 | 42 | 0 |
House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ind | Republican | Vacant | ||
| 51st legislature | 38 | 0 | 32 | 70 | 0 |
| 52nd legislature | 33 | 0 | 37 | 70 | 0 |
| 53rd legislature | 38 | 0 | 32 | 70 | 0 |
| 54th legislature | 46 | 1 | 23 | 70 | 0 |
| 55th legislature | 43 | 2 | 24 | 69 | 1 |
Wikipedia
The New Mexico Legislature (Spanish: Legislatura de Nuevo México) is the legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate.
History
The New Mexico Legislature was established when New Mexico officially became a state and was admitted to the union in 1912.
In 1922, Bertha M. Paxton became the first woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature, serving one term in the House of Representatives.[1]
Session structure and operations
The Legislature meets every year, in regular session on the third Tuesday in January. The New Mexico Constitution limits the regular session to 60 calendar days, every other year it is 30 days.[2] The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, while the Speaker of the House is elected from that body in a closed-door majority-member caucus. Both have wide latitude in choosing committee membership in their respective houses and have a large impact on lawmaking in the state.
While only the Governor can call the Legislature into special sessions, the Legislature can call itself into an extraordinary session. There is no limit on the number of special sessions a governor can call. The New Mexico Constitution does not limit the duration of each special session; lawmakers may consider only those issues designated by the governor in the “call,” or proclamation convening the special session (though other issues may be added by the Governor during a session).[3]
Any bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor takes effect 90 days after its passage unless two-thirds of each house votes to give the bill immediate effect, earlier effect (before 90 day period), or later effect (after 90 day period).
Compensation
New Mexico does not pay its legislators a base salary. Legislators receive per diem of $191 per day for work at the capitol or committee hearings and mileage reimbursement at the federal rate of 67 cents per mile. They can receive a per diem outside of legislative session.[4]
Qualifications
The state constitution requires representatives to be at least twenty-one years old and senators to be at least twenty-five, and members of both houses must live in the districts they represent.[5]
Districting
The legislature consists of 70 representatives and 42 senators. Each member of the House represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico. Each member of the Senate represents roughly 43,300 residents. Currently the Democratic Party holds a majority in both of the chambers of New Mexico Legislature, and holds the Governor’s office.[6]
Redistricting
In 2021, Senate Bill 304 established the Citizen Redistricting Committee. The committee is to develop three redistricting plans to recommend to the Legislature for each of the following: U.S. House of Representatives, New Mexico House of Representatives, New Mexico Senate, and any other state offices requiring redistricting. As of the summer of 2021, the latter consisted of only the New Mexico Public Education Commission. The Legislature is still free to make its own redistricting plans.[7]
Term limits
Currently, there are no term limits for legislators. The longest current member of the legislature has served since 1972.[citation needed] House members are elected every two years, while Senate members are elected every four years.[8]
Party summary
State Senate
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 27 | 15 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 1, 2015 – Mar 14, 2015 | 25 | 17 | 42 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 2015 – Apr 5, 2015 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 1 |
| Apr 5, 2015 – Jan 17, 2017 | 24 | 18 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 17, 2017 – Jan 19, 2021 | 26 | 16 | 42 | 0 |
| Jan 19, 2021 – present | 27 | 15 | 42 | 0 |
House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ind | Republican | Vacant | ||
| 51st legislature | 38 | 0 | 32 | 70 | 0 |
| 52nd legislature | 33 | 0 | 37 | 70 | 0 |
| 53rd legislature | 38 | 0 | 32 | 70 | 0 |
| 54th legislature | 46 | 1 | 23 | 70 | 0 |
| 55th legislature | 43 | 2 | 24 | 69 | 1 |
| 56th legislature | 45 | 0 | 25 | 70 | 0 |
History
| Session[9] | Years | House | Senate | Governor | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | ||||||
| 1st | 1912–1914 | 49 | 16 | 30 | 3 | 24 | 7 | 16 | 1 | William W. McDonald | |||
| 2nd | 1915-1916 | 49 | 14 | 33 | 2 | 24 | 7 | 16 | 1 | ||||
| 3rd | 1917-1918 | 49 | 19 | 30 | – | 24 | 10 | 14 | – | Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca | |||
| Washington E. Lindsey | |||||||||||||
| 4th | 1919-1920 | 49 | 15 | 34 | – | 24 | 9 | 15 | – | Octaviano Larrazolo | |||
| 5th | 1921-1922 | 49 | 15 | 34 | – | 24 | 9 | 15 | – | Merritt C. Mechem | |||
| 6th | 1923-1924 | 49 | 33 | 16 | – | 24 | 9 | 15 | – | James F. Hinkle | |||
| 7th | 1925-1926 | 49 | 28 | 21 | – | 24 | 11 | 13 | – | Arthur T. Hannett | |||
| 8th | 1927-1928 | 49 | 18 | 31 | – | 24 | 11 | 13 | – | Richard C. Dillon | |||
| 9th | 1929-1930 | 49 | 12 | 37 | – | 24 | 6 | 18 | |||||
| 10th | 1931-1932 | 49 | 28 | 21 | – | 24 | 8 | 16 | – | Arthur Seligman | |||
| 11th | 1933-1934 | 49 | 41 | 8 | – | 24 | 20 | 4 | – | ||||
| 42 | 7 | – | Andrew W. Hockenhull | ||||||||||
| 12th | 1935-1936 | 49 | 38 | 12 | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | – | Clyde Tingley | |||
| 13th | 1937-1938 | 49 | 47 | 2 | – | 24 | 23 | 1 | – | ||||
| 14th | 1939-1940 | 49 | 42 | 7 | – | 24 | 23 | 1 | – | John E. Miles | |||
| 15th | 1941-1942 | 49 | 40 | 9 | – | 24 | 21 | 3 | – | ||||
| 16th | 1943-1944 | 49 | 33 | 16 | – | 24 | 21 | 3 | – | John J. Dempsey | |||
| 17th | 1945-1946 | 49 | 30 | 19 | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | – | ||||
| 18th | 1947-1948 | 49 | 30 | 19 | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | – | Thomas J. Mabry | |||
| 19th | 1949-1950 | 49 | 36 | 13 | – | 24 | 19 | 5 | – | ||||
| Session | Years | House | Senate | Governor | |||||||||
| Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | ||||||
| 20th | 1951-1952 | 55 | 46 | 9 | – | 24 | 18 | 6 | – | Edwin L. Mechem | |||
| 21st | 1953-1954 | 55 | 27 | 28 | – | 31 | 22 | 9 | – | ||||
| 22nd | 1955-1956 | 55 | 51 | 4 | – | 32 | 23 | 9 | – | John F. Simms | |||
| 23rd | 1957-1958 | 66 | 43 | 23 | – | 32 | 24 | 8 | – | Edwin L. Mechem | |||
| 24th | 1959-1960 | 66 | 60 | 6 | – | 32 | 24 | 8 | – | John Burroughs | |||
| 25th | 1961-1962 | 66 | 59 | 7 | – | 32 | 28 | 4 | – | Edwin L. Mechem | |||
| Tom Bolack | |||||||||||||
| 26th | 1963-1964 | 66 | 55 | 11 | – | 32 | 28 | 4 | – | Jack M. Campbell | |||
| 27th | 1965-1966 | 77 | 59 | 18 | – | 32 | 28 | 4 | – | ||||
| 28th | 1967-1968 | 70 | 45 | 25 | – | 42 | 25 | 17 | – | David F. Cargo | |||
| 29th | 1969-1970 | 70 | 44 | 26 | – | 42 | 25 | 17 | – | ||||
| 30th | 1971-1972 | 70 | 48 | 22 | – | 42 | 28 | 14 | – | Bruce King | |||
| 31st | 1973-1974 | 70 | 51 | 19 | – | 42 | 30 | 12 | – | ||||
| 50 | 20 | – | |||||||||||
| 32nd | 1975-1976 | 70 | 51 | 19 | – | 42 | 29 | 13 | – | Jerry Apodaca | |||
| 30 | 12 | – | |||||||||||
| 33rd | 1977-1978 | 70 | 48 | 22 | – | 42 | 33 | 9 | – | ||||
| 34th | 1979-1980 | 70 | 41 | 29[a] | – | 42 | 33 | 9 | – | Bruce King | |||
| 32 | 10 | – | |||||||||||
| 35th | 1981-1982 | 70 | 41 | 29[b] | – | 42 | 22 | 20 | – | ||||
| 23 | 19 | – | |||||||||||
| 36th | 1983-1984 | 70 | 46 | 24 | – | 42 | 23 | 19 | – | Toney Anaya | |||
| 47 | 23 | – | |||||||||||
| 37th | 1985-1986 | 70 | 43 | 27[c] | – | 42 | 21 | 21[d] | – | ||||
| 20 | 22 | – | |||||||||||
| 42 | 20[e] | 22 | |||||||||||
| 38th | 1987-1988 | 70 | 47 | 23 | – | 42 | 21[f] | 21 | – | Garrey Carruthers | |||
| 46 | 24 | – | 42 | 21 | 21[g] | ||||||||
| 39th | 1989-1990 | 70 | 45 | 25 | – | 42 | 26 | 16 | – | ||||
| 25 | 17 | – | |||||||||||
| Session | Years | House | Senate | Governor | |||||||||
| Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | ||||||
| 40th | 1991-1992 | 70 | 49 | 21 | – | 42 | 26 | 16 | – | Bruce King | |||
| 41st | 1993-1994 | 70 | 53 | 17 | – | 42 | 27 | 15 | – | ||||
| 42nd | 1995-1996 | 70 | 46 | 24 | – | 42 | 27 | 15 | – | Gary Johnson | |||
| 43rd | 1997-1998 | 70 | 42 | 28 | – | 42 | 25 | 17 | – | ||||
| 44th | 1999-2000 | 70 | 40 | 30 | – | 42 | 25 | 17 | – | ||||
| 45th | 2001-2002 | 70 | 42 | 28 | – | 42 | 24 | 18[h] | – | ||||
| 46th | 2003-2004 | 70 | 43 | 27 | – | 42 | 24 | 18 | – | Bill Richardson | |||
| 47th | 2005-2006 | 70 | 42 | 28 | – | 42 | 24 | 18 | – | ||||
| 48th | 2007-2008 | 70 | 42 | 28 | – | 42 | 24 | 18 | – | ||||
| 49th | 2009-2010 | 70 | 45 | 25 | – | 42 | 27 | 15[i] | – | ||||
| 50th | 2011-2012 | 70 | 36 | 33 | 1 | 42 | 27 | 15[i] | – | Susana Martinez | |||
| 51st | 2013-2014 | 70 | 38 | 32 | – | 42 | 25 | 17 | – | ||||
| 52nd | 2015-2016 | 70 | 33 | 37 | – | 42 | 24 | 18 | – | ||||
| 53rd | 2017-2018 | 70 | 38 | 32 | – | 42 | 26 | 16 | – | ||||
| 54th | 2019-2020 | 70 | 46 | 24 | – | 42 | 26 | 16 | – | Michelle Lujan Grisham | |||
| 55th | 2021-2022 | 70 | 44 | 24 | 2 | 42 | 27 | 15 | – | ||||
| Session | Years | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Others | Governor | |||
| House | Senate | ||||||||||||
Notes
- ^ Coalition of 11 Democrats and 29 Republicans controlled the House Majority
- ^ Coalition of 10 Democrats and 27 Republicans controlled the House Majority
- ^ Coalition of 10 Democrats and 26 Republicans controlled the House Majority
- ^ Coalition of 4 Democrats and 21 Republicans controlled the Senate Majority until one of the Democrats switched parties in late 1985, giving the Republicans outright control
- ^ Coalition of 4 Republicans and 19 Democrats controlled the Senate Majority in the 37th Session’s special legislative session in September 1986.
- ^ Coalition of 3 Republicans and 21 Democrats controlled the Senate Majority
- ^ Coalition of 5 Democrats and 18 Republicans controlled the Senate Majority beginning in January 1988
- ^ Coalition of 3 Democrats and 18 Republicans controlled the Senate Majority
- ^ a b Coalition of 8 Democrats and 15 Republicans controlled the Senate Majority
References
- ^ Eisenstadt, Pauline; Belshaw, Jim (2012). A Woman in Both Houses: My Career in New Mexico Politics. University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 9780826350244.
- ^ “SESSION DATES” (PDF). New Mexico Legislature. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ “New Mexico Statutes”. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ “2024 Legislator Compensation”. ncsl.org.
- ^ “Constitution (AS ADOPTED JANUARY 21, 1911, AND AS SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED BY THE PEOPLE IN GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS 1911 THROUGH 2021” (PDF). Api.realfile.rtsclients.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ “Political Composition”. Nmlegia.gov.
- ^ “Archived copy” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ “LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS AND FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME LEGISLATURES” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 25, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ “New Mexico Legislature political composition: legislative sessions” (PDF), Legislative Handbook, New Mexico Legislature, retrieved August 3, 2024 – via nmlegis.gov
External links
- New Mexico Legislature official website
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