[LWVNM Action] New Mexico needs a modernized Legislature - LWVSNM-- blog post to share

[Elene]

Thanks for bringing attention to this, and for the HJR 2 PDF.  I wrote a blog post about the subject.  Please feel free to share:
https://elenedom.wordpress.com/2023/01/15/new-mexico-needs-a-paid-professional-legislature/
Elene Gusch



-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Calef via Action <action at mailman.swcp.com>
To: LWVNM Action <action at mailman.swcp.com>
Cc: Barbara Calef <bfcalef at gmail.com>
Sent: Tue, Jan 17, 2023 9:01 am
Subject: Re: [LWVNM Action] New Mexico needs a modernized Legislature - LWVSNM

Ann,
HJR 2 would change the legislative sessions.  The joint resolution for paying salaries to the legislators has not been filed yet.  I have not seen a bill for paid staff, either.
Barbara
On Tue, Jan 17, 2023 at 8:53 AM Ann LePage via Action <action at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:

No bill number yet?
Ann
On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 1:00 PM Richard Mason via Action <action at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:


https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/opinion/editorial/2023/01/13/new-mexico-needs-a-modernized-legislature/69802908007/

New Mexico needs a modernizedLegislature Kathy Brook and Eileen VanWieCo-Presidents, League of Women Voters of Southern NewMexicoView Comments As the 2023 session of the New Mexicolegislature begins, actions to “modernize” the state’s law-making body willlikely be considered.  Discussions about modernization occur in thecontext of a state whose population has grown by a factor of more than sixsince statehood, giving individual members of the House and Senateconstituencies of 30,000 and 50,000 respectively.  Additionally, NewMexico remains geographically large and demographically diverse.  The Legislatureneeds to address complex challenges, including poverty, economicdiversification, disposal of nuclear waste, and limited access to health careand internet services.  The League of Women Voters and other civicorganizations support lengthening the sessions, hiring permanent year-roundstaff, and creating salaries for members.Currently New Mexico’s sessions are among the threeshortest in the country (alternating between 60 days in odd-numbered years and30 days in even-numbered years).  The scope of the short session islimited to the budget and topics specified by the governor.  Proposedchanges involve expanding, at least the short session, to allow more time forbills to be studied and debated with consideration of a greater range oftopics.  Hopefully a longer session would also discourage delaying tacticsof “running out the clock,” leaving bills to die at the end of thesession. Now the legislature’s work is supported by a permanentstaff of about 168 (about 1.5 per legislator) and most legislators do not havededicated staff.  Having access to more staff throughout the year wouldassist legislators in researching and analyzing bills. Staff can also aid inproviding improved oversight of executive agencies. Having more staff wouldalso decrease legislators’ reliance on paid lobbyists for information on billsand would better serve constituents.A third area of modernization involves payinglegislative salaries, as is done in the other 49 states.  New Mexicolegislators do receive mileage and per diem payments to attend sessions andinterim committee meetings, but lack of salary seriously limits the ability ofa large part of the population to serve in the Roundhouse.  Thosefinancially most able to serve are retired (with various kinds of pensions),independently wealthy, or self-employed in businesses that can be more easilycombined with legislative work.  Younger people, essential workers, thosewith young children, and those with full-time jobs find service in thelegislature to be far more difficult.  If there is a decision to paysalaries, the level of salary can be set in a variety of ways, including by anindependent body.  Representative Angelica Rubio and others plan tointroduce a bill creating a legislative salary commission. If the legislature approves changes in the length ofsessions and legislative compensation, those issues will be put before thevoters as Constitutional amendments.  Increased staffing may be approvedby the legislature.  A modernized legislature would enhance the capacityof the legislators to perform their role in the policy-making process. The League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico encourages you to contactyour legislators to support bills that improve fairness to legislators and thefunctioning of the legislative body.

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