INDEX
ARTICLE I - NAME AND BOUNDARIES 1
ARTICLE II - BILL OF RIGHTS 1
ARTICLE III - DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS 6
ARTICLE IV - LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT 6
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT 16
ARTICLE VI - JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 20
ARTICLE VII - ELECTIVE FRANCHISE 30
ARTICLE VIII - TAXATION AND REVENUE 31
ARTICLE IX - STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS 34
ARTICLE X - COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS 39
ARTICLE XI - CORPORATIONS OTHER THAN MUNICIPAL 43
ARTICLE XII - EDUCATION 48
ARTICLE XIII - PUBLIC LANDS 54
ARTICLE XIV - PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS 54
ARTICLE XV - AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION 55
ARTICLE XVI - IRRIGATION AND WATER RIGHTS 55
ARTICLE XVII - MINES AND MINING 56
ARTICLE XVIII - MILITIA 56
ARTICLE XIX - AMENDMENTS 57
ARTICLE XX - MISCELLANEOUS 58
ARTICLE XXI - COMPACT WITH THE UNITED STATES 61
ARTICLE XXII - SCHEDULE 64
ARTICLE XXIII - INTOXICATING LIQUORS 68
ARTICLE XXIV - LEASES ON STATE LAND 68
PREAMBLE We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, in order to secure the advantages of a state government, do ordain and establish this constitution.
The name of this state is New Mexico, and its boundaries are as follows: Beginning at the point where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude intersects the one hundred and third meridian west from Greenwich; thence along said one hundred and third meridian to the thirty-second parallel of north latitude; thence along said thirty-second parallel to the Rio Grande, aIso known as the Rio Bravo del Norte, as it existed on the ninth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty; thence, following the main channel of said river, as it existed on the ninth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, to the parallel of thirty-one degrees forty-seven minutes north latitude; thence west one hundred miles to a point; thence south to the parallel of thirty-one degrees twenty minutes north latitude; thence along said parallel of thirty-one degrees twenty minutes, to the thirty- second meridian of longitude west from Washington; thence along said thirty-second meridian to the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude; thence along said thirty-seventh parallel to the point of beginning.
Section 1. [Supreme law of the land.]
The state of New Mexico is an inseparable part of the federal union, and the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.
Sec. 2. [Popular sovereignty.]
All political power is vested in and derived from the people: all government of right originates with the people, is founded upon their will and is instituted solely for their good.
Sec. 3. [Right of self-government.]
The people of the state have the sole and exclusive right to govern themselves as a free, sovereign and independent state.
Sec. 4. [Inherent rights.]
All persons are born equally free, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, among which are the rights of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and of seeking and obtaining safety and happiness.
Sec. 5. [Rights under Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo preserved.]
The rights, privileges and immunities, civil, political and religious guaranteed to the people of New Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo shall be preserved inviolate.
Sec. 6. [Right to bear arms.]
No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of con- cealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an in- cident of the right to keep and bear arms. (Adopted by the people November 11, 1986.)
Sec. 7. [Habeas corpus.]
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall never be suspended, unless, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public safety requires it.
Sec. 8. [Freedom of elections.]
All elections shall be free and open, and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.
Sec. 9. [Military power subordinate; quartering of soldiers.]
The military shall always be in strict subordination to the civil power; no soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war except in the manner prescribed by law.
Sec. 10. [Searches and seizures.]
The people shall be secure in their persons, papers, homes and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrant to search any place, or seize any person or thing, shall issue without describing the place to be searched, or the persons or things to be seized, nor without a written showing of probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.
Sec. 11. [Freedom of religion.]
Every man shall be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and no person shall ever be molested or denied any civil or political right or privilege on account of his religious opinion or mode of religious worship. No person shall be required to attend any place of worship or support any religious sect or denomination; nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship.
Sec. 12. [Trial by jury; less than unanimous verdicts in civil cases.]
The right of trial by jury as it has heretofore existed shall be secured to all and remain inviolate. In all cases triable in courts inferior to the district court the jury may consist of six. The legislature may provide that verdicts in civil cases may be rendered by less than a unanimous vote of the jury.
Sec. 13. [Bail; excessive fines; cruel and unusual punishment.]
All persons shall, before conviction be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great and in situations in which bail is specifically prohibited by this section. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.
Bail may be denied by the district court for a period of sixty days after the incarceration of the defendant by an order entered within seven days after the incarceration, in the following instances:
A. the defendant is accused of a felony and has previously been convicted of two or more felonies, within the state, which felonies did not arise from the same transaction or a common transaction with the case at bar;
B. the defendant is accused of a felony involving the use of a deadly weapon and has a prior felony conviction, within the state. The period for incarceration without bail may be extended by any period of time by which trial is delayed by a motion for a continuance made by or on behalf of the defendant. An appeal from an order denying bail shall be given preference over all other matters. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 14. [Indictment and information; grand juries; rights of accused.]
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, felonious or infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury or information filed by a district attorney or attorney general or their deputies, except in cases arising in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger. No person shall be so held on information without having had a preliminary examination before an examining magistrate, or having waived such preliminary examination.
A grand jury shall be composed of such number, not less than twelve, as may be prescribed by law. Citizens only, residing in the county for which a grand jury may be convened and qualified as prescribed by law, may serve on a grand jury Concurrence necessary for the finding of an indictment by a grand jury shall be prescribed by law; provided, such concurrence shall never be by less than a majority of those who compose a grand jury, and, provided, at least eight must concur in finding an indictment when a grand jury is composed of twelve in number. Until otherwise prescribed by law a grand jury shall be composed of twelve in number of which eight must concur in finding an indictment. A grand jury shall be convened upon order of a judge of a court empowered to try and determine cases of capital, felonious or infamous crimes at such times as to him shall be deemed necessary, or a grand jury shall be ordered to convene by such judge upon the filing of a petition therefor signed by not less than the lesser of two hundred registered voters or five percent of the registered voters of the county, or a grand jury may be convened in any additional manner as may be prescribed by law.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall have the right to appear defend himself in person, and by counsel; to demand the nature and cau! the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to hav charge and testimony interpreted to him in a language that he understands; to have compulsory process to compel the attendance of necessary witnesses in his behalf, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county or district in which the offense is alleged to have been committed. (Adopted by the people November 4,1980.)
Sec. 15. [Self-incrimination; double jeopardy.]
No person shall be compelled to testify against himself in a criminal proceeding, nor shall any person be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense; and when the indictment, information or affidavit upon which any person is convicted charges different offenses or different degrees of the same offense and a new trial is granted the accused, he may not again be tried for an offense or degree of the offense greater than the one of which he was convicted.
Sec. 16. [Treason.]
Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort, No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
Sec. 17. [Freedom of speech and press, libel.]
Every person may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions for libels, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury; and if it shall appear to the jury that the matter charged as libelous is true and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be acquitted.
Sec. 18. [Due process; equal protection, sex discrimination.]
No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor shall any person be denied equal protection of the laws. Equality of rights under law shall not be denied on account of the sex of any person. The effective date of this amendment shall be July 1, 1973. (Adopted by the people November 7,1972).
Sec. 19. [Retroactive laws; bills of attainder; impairment of contracts.]
No ex post facto law, bill of attainder nor law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be enacted by the legislature.
Sec. 20. [Eminent domain.]
Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation.
Sec. 21. [Imprisonment for debt.]
No person shall be imprisoned for debt in any civil action.
Sec. 22. [Alien landownership.]
Until otherwise provided by law no alien, ineligible to citizenship under the laws of the United States, or corporation, copartnership or association, a majority of the stock or interest in which is owned or held by such aliens, shall acquire title, leasehold or other interest in or to real estate in New Mexico.
Sec. 23. [Reserved rights.]
The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny, impair or disparage others retained by the people.
Sec. 24. [Crime victims' rights.]
A. A victim of arson resulting in bodily injury, aggravated arson, aggravated assault,
aggravated battery, dangerous use of explosives, negligent use
of a deadly weapon, murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter,
kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact of
a minor, homicide by vehicle, great bodily injury by vehicle or abandonment
or abuse of a child or that victim's representative shall have the following
rights as provided by law:
(1) the right to be treated with fairness and respect for the victim's dignity and
privacy throughout the criminal justice process;
(2) the right to timely disposition of the case;
(3) the right to be reasonably protected from the accused throughout the
criminal justice process;
(4) the right to notification of court proceedings;
(5) the right to attend all public court proceedings the accused has the
right to attend;
(6) the right to confer with the prosecution;
(7) the right to make a statement to the court at sentencing and at any
post-sentencing hearings for the accused;
(8) the right to restitution from the person convicted of the criminal conduct
that caused the victim's loss or injury;
(9) the right to information about the conviction, sentencing, imprisonment,
escape or release of the accused;
(10) the right to have the prosecuting attorney notify the victim's employer, if
requested by the victim, of the necessity of the victim's cooperation
and testimony in a court proceeding that may necessitate the absence of the
victim from work for good cause; and
(11) the right to promptly receive any property belonging to the victim
that is being held for evidentiary purposes by a law enforcement agency or
the prosecuting attorney, unless there are compelling evidentiary reasons for
retention of the victim's property
B. A person accused or convicted of a crime against a victim shall have no standing to object to any failure by any person to comply with the provisions of Subsection A of Section 24 of Article 2 of the constitution of New Mexico.
C. The provisions of this amendment shall not take effect until the legi ture enacts laws to implement this amendment. (Adopted by the people November 3, 1992.)
Section 1. [Separation of departments.]
The powers of the government of this state are divided into three distinct departments, the legislative, executive and judicial, and no person or collection of persons charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of these departments, shall exercise any powers properly belonging t either of the others, except as in this constitution otherwise expressly directed or permitted. Nothing in this section, or elsewhere in this constitution, shall prevent the legislature from establishing, by statute, a body with statewide jurisdiction other than the courts of this state for the determination of rights and liabilities between persons when those rights and liabilities arise from transactions or occurrences involving personal injury sustained in the course of employment by an employee. The statute shall provide for the type an organization of the body, the mode of appointment or election of its member and such other matters as the legislature may deem necessary or proper. (Adopted by the people November 4,1986.)
Section 1. [Vesting of legislative power; location of sessions; referendum on legislation.]
The legislative power shall be vested in a senate and house of representatives which shall be designated the legislature of the state of New Mexico, and shall hold its sessions at the seat of government.
The people reserve the power to disapprove, suspend and annul any law enacted by the legislature, except general appropriation laws; laws providing for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety; for the payment of the public debt or interest thereon, or the creation or funding of the same, except as in this constitution otherwise provided; for the maintenance of the public schools or state institutions, and local or special laws. Petitions disapproving any law other than those above excepted, enacted at the last preceding session of the legislature, shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than four months prior to the next general election. Such petitions signed by not less than ten per centum of the qualified electors of three-fourths of the counties and in the aggregate by not less than centum of the qualified electors of the state, as shown by the total number votes cast at the last preceding general election. The question of the approval or rejection of such law shall be submitted by the secretary of state to the electorate at the next general election; and if a majority of the legal votes cast thereon, and not less than forty per centum of the total number of legal votes cast at such general election, be cast for the rejection of such law, it shall be annulled and thereby repealed with the same effect as if the legislature had then repealed it, and such repeal shall revive any law repealed by the act so annulled; otherwise, it shall remain in force unless subsequently repealed by the legislature. If such petition or petitions be signed by not less than twenty- five per centum of the qualified electors under each of the foregoing conditions, and be filed with the secretary of state within ninety days after the adjournment of the session of the legislature at which such law was enacted, the operation thereof shall be thereupon suspended and the question of its approval or rejection shall be likewise submitted to a vote at the next ensuing general election. If a majority of the votes cast thereon and not less than forty per centum of the total number of votes cast at such general election be cast for its rejection, it shall be thereby annulled; otherwise, it shall go into effect upon publication of the certificate of the secretary of state declaring the result of the vote thereon. It shall be a felony for any person to sign any such petition with any name other than his own, or to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to sign such petition when he is not a qualified elector in the county specified in such petition; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the writing thereon of the name of any person who cannot write, and who signs the same with his mark. The legislature shall enact laws necessary for the effective exercise of the power hereby reserved.
Sec. 2. [Powers generally; disaster emergency procedure.]
In addition to the powers herein enumerated, the legislature shall have all powers necessary to the legislature of a free state, including the power to enact reasonable and appropriate laws to guarantee the continuity and effective operation of state and local government by providing emergency procedure for use only during periods of disaster emergency. A disaster emergency is defined as a period when damage or injury to persons or property in this state, caused by enemy attack, is of such magnitude that a state of martial law is declared to exist in the state, and a disaster emergency is declared by the chief executive officer of the United States and the chief executive officer of this state, and the legislature has not declared by joint resolution that the disaster emergency is ended. Upon the declaration of a disaster emergency the chief executive of the state shall within seven days call a special session of the legislature which shall remain in continuous session during the disaster emergency, and may recess from time to time for [not] more than three days. (Adopted by the people November 8,1960.)
Sec. 3. [Number and qualifications of members; single-member districts; reapportionment.]
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 vided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in legislature who, at the time of qualifying, holds any office of trust or profit with the state, county or national governments, except notaries public 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. (Adopted by the people November 2,1976.)
Sec. 4. [Terms of office of members; time of election; filling of vacancies.]
Members of the legislature shall be elected as follows: those senators from Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, DeBaca, Grant, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union and Valencia counties for a term of six years starting January 1, 1961, and after serving such terms shall be elected for a term of four years thereafter; those senators from all other counties for the terms of four years, and members of the house of representatives for a term of two years. They shall be elected on the day provided by law for holding the general election of state officers or representatives in congress. If a vacancy occurs in the office of senator or member of the house of representatives, for any reason, the county commissioners of the county wherein the vacancy occurs shall fill such vacancy by appointment. Such legislative appointments as provided in this section shall be for a term ending on December 31, subsequent to the next succeeding general election. (Adopted by the people November 8,1960.)
Sec. 5. [Time and length of sessions; items considered in even- numbered years.]
A. Each regular session of the legislature shall begin annually at 12:00 noon on the third Tuesday of January. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an odd-numbered year shall remain in session not to exceed sixty days, and every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year shall remain in session not to exceed thirty days. No special session of the legislature shall exceed thirty days.
B. Every regular session of the legislature convening during an even-numbered year
shall consider only the following:
(1) budgets, appropriations and revenue bills;
(2) bills drawn pursuant to special messages of the governor; and
(3) bills of the last previous regular session vetoed by the governor.
(Adopted by the people November 3,1964.)
Sec. 6. [Special session; extraordinary session.]
Special sessions of the legislature may be called by the governor, but no business shall be transacted except such as relates to the objects specified in this proclamation. Provided, however, that when three-fifths of the members elected to the house of representatives and three-fifths of the members elected to the senate shall have certified to the governor of the state of New Mexico that in their opinion an emergency exists in the affairs of the state of New Mexico, it shall thereupon be the duty of said governor and mandatory upon him, within five days from the receipt of such certificate or certificates, to convene said legislature in extraordinary session for all purposes; and in the event said governor shall, within said time, Sundays excluded, fail or refuse to convene said legislature as aforesaid, then and in that event said legislature may convene itself in extraordinary session, as if convened in regular session, for all purposes, provided that such extraordinary self-convened session shall be limited to a period of thirty days, unless at the expiration of said period, there shall be pending an impeachment trial of some officer of the state government, in which event the legislature shall be authorized to remain in session until such trial shall have been completed. (Adopted by the people November 2,1948.)
Sec. 7. [judge of election and qualifications of members; quorum.]
Each house shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its own members. A majority of either house shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a less number may effect a temporary organization, adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.
Sec. 8. [Call to order, presiding officers.]
The senate shall be called to order in the hall of the senate by the lieutenant governor. The senate shall elect a president pro tempore who shall preside in the absence of the lieutenant governor and shall serve until the next session of the legislature. The house of representatives shall be called to order in the hall of said house by the secretary of state. He shall preside until the election of a speaker, who shall be the member receiving the highest number of votes for that office.
Sec. 9. [Selection and compensation of officers and employees.]
The legislature shall select its own officers and employees and fix their compensation. Each house shall have one chaplain, one chief clerk and one sergeant at arms; and there shall be one assistant chief clerk and one assistant sergeant at arms for each house; and each house may employ such enrolling clerks, reading clerks, stenographers, janitors and such subordinate employees in addition to those enumerated, as they may reasonably require and their compensation shall be fixed by the said legislature at the beginning of each session. (Adopted by the people November 2,1948.)
Sec. 10. [Compensation of members.]
Each member of the legislature shall receive:
A. as per diem expense the sum of not more than seventy-five dollars
($75.00) for each day's attendance during each session, as provided by law
and twenty-five cents ($.25) for each mile traveled in going to and returning
from the seat of government by the usual traveled route, once eeach session as
defined by Article 4, Section 5 of this constitution;
B. per them expense and mileage at the same rates as provided in subsection A of this section for service at meetings required by legislative committees established by the legislature to meet in the interim between sessions; and
C. no other compensation, perquisite or allowance. (Adopted by the people November 2,1982.)
Sec. 11. [Rules of procedure; contempt or disorderly conduct; expulsion of members.]
Each house may determine the rules of its procedure, punish its members or others for contempt or disorderly behavior in its presence and protect its members against violence; and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of its members, expel a member, but not a second time for the same act. Punishment for contempt or disorderly behavior or by expulsion shall not be a bar to criminal prosecution.
Sec. 12. [Public sessions; journals.]
All sessions of each house shall be public. Each house shall keep journal of its proceedings and the yeas and nays on any questions shall, at the request of one-fifth of the members present, be entered thereon. The original thereof shall be filed with the secretary of state at the close of the session, and shall be printed and published under his authority.
Sec. 13. [Privileges and immunities.]
Members of the legislature shall, in all cases except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the sessions of their respective houses, and on going to and returning from the same. And they shall not be questioned in any other place for any speech or debate or for any vote cast in either house.
Sec. 14. [Adjournment.]
Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, Sundays excepted; nor to any other place than that where the two houses are sitting; and on the day of the final adjournment they shall adjourn at twelve o'clock, noon.
Sec. 15. [Laws to be passed by bill; alteration of bill; enacting clause; printing and reading of bill.]
No law shall be passed except by bill, and no bill shall be so altered or amended on its passage through either house as to change its original purpose. The enacting clause of all bills shall be: "Be it enacted by the legislature of the state of New Mexico." Any bill may originate in either house. No bill, except bills to provide for the public peace, health and safety, and the codification or revision of the laws, shall become a law unless it has been printed, and read three different times in each house, not more than two of which readings shall be on the same day, and the third of which shall be in full.
Sec. 16. [Subject of bill in title; appropriation bills.]
The subject of every bill shall be clearly expressed in its title, and no bill embracing more than one subject shall be passed except general appropriation bills and bills for the codification or revision of the laws; but if any subject is embraced in any act which is not expressed in its title, only so much of the act as is not so expressed shall be void. General appropriation bills shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the expense of the executive, legislative and judiciary departments, interest, sinking fund, payments on the public debt, public schools and other expenses required by existing laws; but if any such bill contain any other matter, only so much thereof as is hereby forbidden to be placed therein shall be void. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills.
Sec. 17. [Passage of bills.]
No bill shall be passed except by a vote of a majority of the members present in each house, nor unless on its final passage a vote be taken by yeas and nays, and entered on the journal.
Sec. 18. [Amendment of statutes.]
No law shall be revised or amended, or the provisions thereof extended by reference to its title only; but each section thereof as revised, amended or extended shall be set out in full.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this constitution, the legislature, in any law imposing a tax or taxes, may define the amount on, in respect to or by which such tax or taxes are imposed or measured, by reference to any provision of the laws of the United States as the same may be or become effective at any time or from time to time, and may prescribe exceptions or modifications to any such provision. (Adopted by the people November 3, 1964.)
Sec. 19. [Introduction of bills.]
Time limitation on the introduction of bills at any session of the legislature shall be established by law. (Adopted by the people November 8,1960.)
Sec. 20 [Enrollment, engrossment and signing of bills.]
Immediately after the passage of any bill or resolution, it shall and engrossed, and read publicly in full in each house, and thereupon shall be signed by the presiding officers of each house in open session, and the fact of such reading and signing shall be entered on the journal. No interlineation or erasure in a signed bill, shall be effective, unless certified thereon in express terms by the presiding officer of each house quoting the words interlined or erased, nor unless the fact of the making of such interlineation erasure be publicly announced in each house and entered on the journal.
Sec. 21. [Alteration or theft of bill.]
Any person who shall, without lawful authority, materially change or allter or make away with, any bill pending in or passed by the legislature, shall ba deemed guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary for not less than one year nor more than five years.
Sec. 22. [Govemor's approval or veto of bills.]
Every bill passed by the legislature shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor for approval. If he approves, he shall sign it, and deposit it with the secretary of state; otherwise, he shall return it to the house in which it originated, with his objections, which shall be entered at large upon the journal; and such bill shall not become a law unless thereafter approved by two-thirds of the members present and voting in each house by yea and nay vote entered upon its journal. Any bill not returned by the governor within three days, Sundays excepted, after being presented to him, shall become a law, whether signed by him or not, unless the legislature by adjournment prevent such return. Every bill presented to the governor during the last three days of the session shall be approved by him within twenty days after the adjournment and shall be by him immediately deposited with such parts secretary of state. Unless so approved and signed by him such bill shall not become a law. The governor may in like manner approve or disapprove any part or parts, item or items, of any bill appropriating money, and such parts or items approved shall become a law, and such as are disapproved shall be void unless passed over his veto, as herein provided. (Adopted by the people September 15,1953.)
Sec. 23. [Effective date of law; emergency acts.]
Laws shall go into effect ninety days after the adjournment of the legislature enacting them, except general appropriation laws, which shall go into effect immediately upon their passage and approval. Any act necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, shall take effect immediately upon its passage and approval, provided it be passed by two-thirds vote of each house and such necessity be stated in a separate section.
Sec. 24. [Local or special laws.]
The legislature shall not pass local or special laws in any of the following cases: regulating county, precinct or district affairs; the jurisdiction and duties of justices of the peace, police magistrates and constables; the practice in courts of justice; the rate of interest on money; the punishment for crimes and misdemeanors; the assessment or collection of taxes or extending the time of collection thereof; the summoning and impaneling of jurors; the management of public schools; the sale or mortgaging of real estate of minors or others under disability; the change of venue in civil or criminal cases. Nor in the following cases: granting divorces; laying out, opening, altering, or working roads or highways, except as to state roads extending into more than one county, and military roads; vacating roads, town plats, streets, alleys or public grounds; locating or changing county seats, or changing county lines, except in creating new counties; incorporating cities, towns or villages, or changing or amending the charter of any city, town or village; the opening or conducting of any election or designating the place of voting; declaring any person of age; chartering or licensing ferries, toll bridges, toll roads, banks, insurance companies or loan and trust companies; remitting fines, penalties, forfeitures or taxes; or refunding money paid into the state treasury, or relinquishing, extending or extinguishing, in whole or in part, any indebtedness or liability of any person or corporation, to the state or any municipality therein; creating, increasing or decreasing fees, percentages or allowances of public officers; changing the laws of descent; granting to any corporation, association or individual the right to lay down railroad tracks or any special or exclusive privilege, immunity or franchise, or amending existing charters for such purpose; changing the rules of evidence in any trial or inquiry; the limitation of actions; giving effect to any informal or invalid deed, will or other instrument; exempting property from taxation; restoring to citizenship any person convicted of an infamous crime; the adoption or legitimizing of children; changing the name of persons or places; and the creation, extension or impairment of liens. In every other case where a general law can be made applicable, no special law shall be enacted.
Sec. 25. [Validating unauthorized official acts; fines against officers, etc.]
No law shall be enacted legalizing the unauthorized or invalid act of any officer, remitting any fine, penalty or judgment against any officer or validating any illegal use of public funds.
Sec. 26. [Grant of franchise or privilege.]
The legislature shall not grant to any corporation or person, any rights, franchises, privileges, immunities or exemptions, which shall not, upon the same terms and under like conditions, inure equally to all persons or corporations; no exclusive right, franchise, privilege or immunity shall be granted by the legislature or any municipality in this state.
Sec. 27. [Extra or increased compensation for officers, contractors, etc.]
No law shall be enacted giving any extra compensation to any public officer, servant, agent or contractor after services are rendered or contract made; nor shall t@e compensation of any officer be increased or diminished during his term of office, except as otherwise provided in this constitution.
Sec. 28. [Appointment of present and former legislators to office; interest of legislators in contracts.]
No member of the legislature shall, during the term for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office in the state, nor shall he within one year thereafter be appointed to any civil office created, or the emoluments of which were increased during such term; nor shall any member of the legislature during the term for which he was elected nor within one year thereafter, be interested directly or indirectly in any contract with the state or any municipality thereof, which was authorized by any law passed during such term.
Sec. 29. [Laws creating debts.]
No law authorizing indebtedness shall be enacted which does not provide for levying a tax sufficient to pay the interest, and for the payment at maturity of the principal.
Sec. 30. [Payments from treasury to be upon appropriations and warrant.]
Except interest or other payments on the public debt, money shall be paid out of the treasury only upon appropriations made by the legislature. No money shall be paid therefrom except upon warrant drawn by the proper officer. Every law making an appropriation shall distinctly specify the sum appropriated and the object to which it is to be applied.
Sec. 31. [Appropriations for charitable, educational, etc., purposes.]
No appropriation shall be made for charitable, educational or other benevolent purposes to any person, corporation, association, institution or community, not under the absolute control of the state, but the legislature may, in its discretion, make appropriations for the charitable institutions and hospitals, for the maintenance of which annual appropriations were made by the legislative assembly of nineteen hundred and nine.
Sec. 32. [Remission of debts due state or municipalities.]
No obligation or liability of any person, association or corporation held or owned by or owing to the state, or any municipal corporation therein, shall ever be exchanged, transferred, remitted, released, postponed or in any way diminished by the legislature, nor shall any such obligation or liability be extinguished except by the payment thereof into the proper treasury, or by proper proceeding in court. Provided that the obligations created by Special Session Laws 1955, Chapter 5, running to the state or any of its agencies, remaining unpaid on the effective date of this amendment are void. (Adopted by the people November 4,1958.)
Sec. 33. [Prosecutions under repealed laws.]
No person shall be exempt from prosecution and punishment for any crime or offenses against any law of this state by reason of the subsequent repeal of such law.
Sec. 34. [Change of rights,or procedure in pending cases.]
No act of the legislature shall affect the right or remedy of either party, or change the rules of evidence or procedure, in any pending case.
Sec. 35. [Power and procedure for impeachment and trial.]
The sole power of impeachment shall be vested in the house of representatives, and a concurrence of a majority of all the members elected shall be necessary to the proper exercise thereof. All impeachments shall be tried by the senate. When sitting for that purpose the senators shall be under oath or affirmation to do justice according to the law and the evidence. When the governor or lieutenant governor is on trial, the chief justice of the supreme court shall preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators elected.
Sec. 36. [Officers subject to impeachment.]
All state officers and judges of the district court shall be liable to impeachment for crimes, misdemeanors and malfeasance in office, but judgment in such cases shall not extend further than removal from office and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit, or to vote under the laws of this state; but such officer or judge, whether convicted or acquitted shall, nevertheless, be liable to prosecution, trial, judgment, punishment or civil action, according to law. No officer shall exercise any powers or duties of his office after notice of his impeachment is served upon him until he is acquitted.
Sec. 37. [Railroad passes.]
It shall not be lawful for a member of the legislature to use a pass, or to purchase or receive transportation over any railroad upon terms not open to the general public; and the violation of this section shall work a forfeiture of the office.
Sec. 38. [Monopolies.]
The legislature shall enact laws to prevent trusts, monopolies and combinations in restraint of trade.
Sec. 39. ["Bribery" and "solicitation" defined.]
Any member of the legislature who shall vote or use his influence for or against any matter pending in either house in consideration of any money, thing of value or promise thereof, shall be deemed guilty of bribery; and any member of the legislature or other person who shall directly or indirectly offer, give or promise any money, thing of value, privilege or personal advantage, to any member of the legislature to influence him to vote or work for or against any matter pending in either house; or any member of the legislature who shall solicit from any person or corporation any money, thing of value or personal advantage for his vote or influence as such member shall be deemed guilty of solicitation of bribery.
Sec. 40. [Penalty for bribery.]
Any person convicted of any of the offenses mentioned in Sections thirty- seven and thirty-nine hereof, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be punished by fine of not more than one thousand dollars [($1,000)] or by imprisonment in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years.
Sec. 41. [Compelling testimony in bribery cases.]
Any person may be compelled to testify in any lawful investigation or judicial proceeding against another charged with bribery or solicitation of bribery as defined herein, and shall not be permitted to withhold his testimony on the ground that it might incriminate or subject him to public infamy; but such testimony shall not be used against him in any judicial proceeding against him except for perjury in giving such testimony.
Sec. 42. [Hearings on confirmation of gubernatorial appointments.]
The senate, in exercising its advice and consent responsibilities over gubernatorial appointments, may by resolution designate the members of an appropriate standing committee to operate as an interim committee during the interim between legislative sessions for the purpose of conducting hearings and taking testimony on the confirmation or rejection of gubernatorial appointments. Recommendations of the committee shall be submitted to the senate for action at the next succeeding legislative session. Members of such committee shall be paid per them and mileage for attendance at such hearings at the same rates as legislators are paid for attendance at joint legislative interim committee meetings. The governor shall submit all appointments requiring senate confirmation to such committee within thirty days after the date of appointment. (Adopted by the people November 4, 1986.)
Section 1. [Composition of department; terms of office of members; residing and maintaining records at seat of government.]
The executive department shall consist of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney general and commissioner of public lands, who shall, unless otherwise provided in the constitution of New Mexico, be elected for terms of four years beginning on the first day of January next after their election. The governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected jointly by the casting by each voter of a single vote applicable to both offices.
Such officers shall, after having served two terms in a state office, be ineligible to hold that state office until one full term has intervened.
The officers of the executive department, except the lieutenant governor, shall during their terms of office, reside and keep the public records, books, papers and seals of office at the seat of government.
Upon the adoption of this amendment by the people, the terms provided for in this section shall apply to those officers elected at the general election in 1990 and all state executive officers elected thereafter. (Adopted by the people November 4,1986.)
Sec. 2. [Canvass of elections; tie votes.]
The returns of every election for state officers shall be sealed up and transmitted to the secretary of state, who, with the governor and chief justice, shall constitute the state canvassing board which shall canvass and declare the result of the election. The joint candidates having the highest number of votes cast for governor and lieutenant governor and the person having the highest number of votes for any other office, as shown by said returns, shall be declared duly elected. If two or more have an equal, and the highest, number of votes for the same office or offices, one of them, or any two for whom joint votes were cast for governor and lieutenant governor respectively, shall be chosen therefor by the legislature on joint ballot. (Adopted by the people November 6,1962.)
Sec. 3. [Qualifications of executive officers.]
No person shall be eligible to any office specified in Section One, hereof, unless he be a citizen of the United States, at least thirty years of age, nor unless he shall have resided continuously in New Mexico for five years next preceding his election; nor to the office of attorney general, unless he be a licensed attorney of the supreme court of New Mexico in good standing; nor to the office of superintendent of public instruction unless he be a trained and experienced educator.
Sec. 4. [Governor's executive power; commander of militia.]
The supreme executive power of the state shall be vested in the governor, who shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. He shall be commander in chief of the military forces of the state, except when they are called into the service of the United States. He shall have power to call out the militia to preserve the public peace, execute the laws, suppress insurrection and repel invasion.
Sec. 5. [Govemor's appointive and removal power; interim appointees.]
The governor shall nominate and, by and with the consent of the senate, appoint all officers whose appointment or election is not otherwise provided for and may remove any officer appointed by him unless otherwise provided by law. Should a vacancy occur in any state office, except lieutenant governor and member of the legislature, the governor shall fill such office by appointment, and such appointee shall hold office until the next general election, when his successor shall be chosen for the unexpired term. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
18 Sec. 6. [Governor's power to pardon and reprieve.]
Subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law, the governor shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons, after conviction for all offenses except treason and in cases of impeachment.
Sec. 7. [Succession to governorship.]
If at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the governor, the governor-elect shall have died, the lieutenant governor-elect shall become governor. If a governor shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the governor-elect shall have failed to qualify, then the lieutenant governor-elect shall act as governor until a governor shall have qualified; and the legislature may by law provide for the case wherein neither a governor-elect nor a lieutenant governor-elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as governor, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a governor or lieutenant governor shall have qualified.
If after the governor-elect has qualified a vacancy occurs in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor shall succeed to that office, and to all the powers, duties and emoluments thereof, provided he has by that time qualified for the office of lieutenant governor. In case the governor is absent from the state, or is for any reason unable to perform his duties, the lieutenant governor shall act as governor, with all the powers, duties and emoluments of that office until such disability be removed. In case there is no lieutenant governor, or in case he is for any reason unable to perform the duties of governor, then the secretary of state shall perform the duties of governor, and, in case there is no secretary of state, then the president pro tempore of the senate, or in case there is no president pro tempore of the senate, or he is for any reason unable to perform the duties of governor, then the speaker of the house shall succeed to the office of governor, or act as governor as hereinbefore provided. (Adopted by the people November 2,1948.)
Sec. 8. [Lieutenant governor to be president of senate.]
The lieutenant governor shall be president of the senate, but shall vote only when the senate is equally divided.
Sec. 9. [Public accounts and reports.]
Each officer of the executive department and of the public institutions of the state shall keep an account of all moneys received by him and make reports thereof to the governor under oath, annually, and at such other times as the governor may require, and shall, at least thirty days preceding each regular session of the legislature, make a full and complete report to the governor, who shall transmit the same to the legislature.
Sec. 10. [State seal.]
There shall be a state seal which shall be called the "Great Seal of the State of New Mexico," and shall be kept by the secretary of state.
Sec. 11. [Commissions.]
All commissions shall issue in the name of the state, be signed by the governor and attested by the secretary of state, who shall affix the state seal thereto.
Sec. 12. [Compensation of executive officers.]
The annual compensation to be paid to the officers mentioned in Section One of this article shall be as follows: governor, five thousand dollars [($5,000)1; secretary of state, three thousand dollars [($3,000)]; state auditor, three thousand dollars [($3,000)1; state treasurer, three thousand dollars [($3,000)1; attorney general, four thousand dollars [($4,000)1; superintendent of public instruction, three thousand dollars [$3,000)]; and commissioner of public lands, three thousand dollars [($3,000)1; which compensation shall be paid to the respective officers in equal quarterly payments.
The lieutenant governor shall receive ten dollars [($10.00)] per them while acting as presiding officer of the senate, and mileage at the same rate as a state senator.
The compensation herein fixed shall be full payment for all services rendered by said officers and they shall receive no other fees or compensation whatsoever.
The compensation of any of said officers may be increased or decreased by law after the expiration of ten years from the date of the admission of New Mexico as a state.
Sec. 13. [Residence of public officers.]
All district and municipal officers, county commissioners, school board members and municipal governing body members shall be residents of the political subdivision or district from which they are elected or for which they are appointed.
Counties, school districts and municipalities may be divided by their governing bodies into districts composed of populations as nearly equal as practicable for the purpose of electing the members of the respective governing bodies. (Adopted by the people November 4,1986.)
Sec. 14. [State highway commission.]
There is created a "state highway commission." The members of the state highway commission shall be appointed, shall have such power and shall perform such duties as may be provided by law. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5, Section 5, of the constitution of New Mexico, state highway commissioners shall only be removed as provided by law. (Adopted by the people November 7,1967.)
Section 1. [judicial power vested.]
The judicial power of the state shall be vested in the senate when sitting as a court of impeachment, a supreme court, a court of appeals, district courts; probate courts, magistrate courts and such other courts inferior to the district courts as may be established by law from time to time in any district, county or municipality of the state. (Adopted by the people November 8,1966.)
Sec. 2. [Supreme court; appellate jurisdiction.]
Appeals from a judgment of the district court imposing a sentence of death or life imprisonment shall be taken directly to the supreme court. In all other cases, criminal and civil, the supreme court shall exercise appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law; provided that an aggrieved party shall have an absolute right to one appeal. (Adopted by the people September 28,1965.)
Sec. 3. [Supreme court; original jurisdiction; supervisory control; extraordinary writs.]
The supreme court shall have original jurisdiction in quo warranto and mandamus against all state officers, boards and commissions, and shall have a superintending control over all inferior courts; it shall also have power to issue writs of mandamus, error, prohibition, habeas corpus, certiorari, injunction and all other writs necessary or proper for the complete exercise of its jurisdiction and to hear and determine the same. Such writs may be issued by direction of the court, or by any justice thereof. Each justice shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus upon petition by or on behalf of a person held in actual custody, and to make such writs returnable before himself or before the supreme court, or before any of the district courts or any judge thereof.
Sec. 4. [Supreme court; number, term and election of justices; chief justice.]
The supreme court of the state shall consist of at least five justices who shall be chosen as provided in this constitution. One of the justices shall be selected as chief justice as provided by law. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 5. [Supreme court; quorum; majority concurring in judgments.]
A majority of the justices of the supreme court shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of the justices must concur in any judgment of the court.
Sec. 6. [Supreme court; absent or disqualified justice.]
When a justice of the supreme court shall be interested in any case, or be absent, or incapacitated, the remaining justices of the court may, in their discretion, call in any district judge of the state to act as a justice of the court.
Sec. 7. [Supreme court; terms, sessions and recesses.]
The supreme court shall hold one term each year, commencing on the second wednesday in January, and shall be at all times in session at the seat of government; provided, that the court may, from time to time, take such recess as in itsjudgment may be proper.
Sec. 8. [Supreme court; qualifications of justices.]
No person shall be qualified to hold the office of justice of the supreme court unless that person is at least thirty-five years old and has been in the actual practice of law for at least ten years preceding that person's assumption of office and has resided in this state for at least three years immediately preceding that person's assumption of office. The actual practice of law shall include a lawyer's service upon the bench of any court of this state. The increased qualifications provided by this 1988 amendment shall not apply to justices and judges serving at the time this amendment passes or elected at the general election in 1988. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 9. [Supreme court, officers.]
The supreme court may appoint and remove at pleasure its reporter, bailiff, clerk and such other officers and assistants as may be prescribed by law.
Sec. 10. [Supreme court; additional justices.]
After the publication of the census of the United States in the year nineteen hundred and twenty, the legislature shall have power to increase the number of justices of the supreme court to five; provided, however, that no more than two of said justices shall be elected at one time, except to fill a vacancy
Sec. 11. [Supreme court; salary of justices.]
The justices of the supreme court shall each receive such salary as may hereafter be fixed by law. (Adopted by the people September 15, 1953.)
Sec. 12. [judicial districts; election and terms of district judges.]
The state shall be divided into judicial districts as may be provided by law. One or more judges shall be chosen for each district as provided in this constitution. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 13. [District courts; jurisdiction and terms.]
The district court shall have original jurisdiction in all matters and causes not excepted in this constitution, and such jurisdiction of special cases and proceedings as may be conferred by law, and appellate jurisdiction of all cases originating in inferior courts and tribunals in their respective districts, and supervisory control over the same. The district courts, or any judge thereof, shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, injunction, quo warranto, certiorari, prohibition and all other writs,' remedial or otherwise in the exercise of their jurisdiction; provided, that no such writs shall issue directed to judges or courts of equal or superior jurisdiction. The district courts shall also have the power of naturalization in accordance with the laws of the United States. Until otherwise provided by law, at least two terms of the district court shall be held annually in each county, at the county seat.
Sec. 14. [District court; qualifications and residence requirement of judges.]
The qualifications of the district judges shall be the same as those of justices of the supreme court except that district judges shall have been in the actual practice of law for at least six years preceding assumption of office. Each district judge shall reside in the district for which the judge was elected or appointed. The increased qualifications provided by this 1988 amendment shall not apply to district judges serving at the time this amendment passes or elected at the general election in 1988. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 15. [District court, judges pro tempore.]
A. Any district judge may hold district court in any county at the request of the judge of such district.
B. Whenever the public business may require, the chief justice of the supreme court shall designate any district judge of the state, or any justice of the supreme court when no district judge may be available within a reasonable time, to hold court in any district, and two or more judges may sit in any district or county separately at the same time.
C. If any district judge is disqualified from hearing any cause or is unable to expeditiously dispose of any cause in the district, the chief justice of the supreme court may designate any retired New Mexico district judge, court of appeals judge or supreme court justice, with said designees' consent, to hear and determine the cause and to act as district judge pro tempore for such cause.
D. If any judge shall be disqualified from hearing any cause in the district, the parties to such cause, or their attorneys of record, may select some member of the bar to hear and determine said cause, and act as judge pro tempore therein. (Adopted by the people November 7,1978.)
Sec. 16. [District court; additional judges; redistricting.]
The legislature may increase the number of district judges in any judicial district, and they shall be elected or appointed as other district judges for that district. At any session after the publication of the census of the United States in the year nineteen hundred and twenty, the legislature may rearrange the districts of the state, increase the number thereof, and make provision for a district judge for any additional district. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 17. [District court; judges'compensation.]
The legislature shall provide by law for the compensation of the judges of the district court. (Adopted by the people September 15, 1953.)
Sec. 18. [Disqualification of judges or magistrates.]
No justice, judge or magistrate of any court shall, except by consent of all parties, sit in any cause in which either of the parties are related to him by affinity or consanguinity within the degree of first cousin, or in which he was counsel, or in the trial of which he presided in any inferior court, or in which he has an interest. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1966.)
Sec. 19. [Ineligibility of justices or judges for nonjudicial offices.]
No justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, judge of the district court or judge of a metropolitan court, while serving, shall be nominated, appointed or elected to any other office in this state except a judicial office. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 20. [Style of writs and processes.]
All writs and processes shall issue, and all prosecution shall be conducted in the name of "The State of New Mexico."
Sec. 21. [judges as conservators of the peace; preliminary examinations in criminal cases.]
Justices of the supreme court, in the state, and district judges and magistrates, in their respective jurisdictions, shall be conservators of the peace. District judges and other judges or magistrates designated by law may hold preliminary examinations in criminal cases. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1966.)
Sec. 22. [County clerk as district and probate court clerk.]
Until otherwise provided by law, a county clerk shall be elected in each county who shall, in the county for which he is elected perform all the duties now performed by the clerks of the district courts and clerks of the probate courts.
Sec. 23. [Probate court.]
A probate court is hereby established for each county, which shall be a court of record, and, until otherwise provided by law, shall have the same jurisdiction as heretofore exercised by the probate courts of New Mexico and shall also have jurisdiction to determine heirship with respect to real property in all proceedings for the administration of decedents' estates. The legislature shall have power from time to time to confer upon the probate court in any county in this state jurisdiction to determine heirship in all probate proceedings, and shall have power also from time to time to confer upon the probate court in any county in this state general civil jurisdiction coextensive with the county; provided, however, that such court shall not have jurisdiction in civil causes in which the matter in controversy shall exceed in value three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) exclusive of interest and cost; nor in any action for malicious prosecution, slander and libel; nor in any action against officers for misconduct in office; nor in any action for the specific performance of contracts for the sale of real estate; nor in any action for the possession of land; nor in any matter wherein the title or boundaries of land may be in dispute or drawn in question, except as title to real property may be affected by the determination of heirship; nor to grant writs of injunction, habeas corpus or extraordinary writs. Jurisdiction may be conferred upon the judges of said court to act as examining and committing magistrates in criminal cases, and upon said courts for the trial of misdemeanors in which the punishment cannot be imprisonment in the penitentiary, or in which the fine cannot be in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000). A jury for the trial of such cases shall consist of six men. The legislature shall prescribe the qualifications and fix the compensation of probate judges. (Adopted by the people September 20, 1949.)
Sec. 24. [District attorneys.]
There shall be a district attorney for each judicial district, who shall be learned in the law, and who shall have been a resident of New Mexico for three years next prior to his election, shall be the law officer of the state and of the counties within his district, shall be elected for a term of four years, and shall perform such duties and receive such salary as may be prescribed by law.
The legislature shall have the power to provide for the election of additional district attorneys in any judicial district and to designate the counties therein for which the district attorneys shall serve; but no district attorney shall be elected for any district of which he is not a resident.
Sec. 25. [judicial districts designated, new counties to be allocated to districts.]
The state shall be divided into eight judicial districts, as
follows:
First District. The counties of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and San
Juan.
Second District. The counties of Bernalillo, McKinley and
Sandoval.
Third District. The counties of Dona Ana, Otero, Lincoln and
Torrance.
Fourth District. The counties of San Miguel, Mora and
Guadalupe.
Fifth District. The counties of Eddy, Chaves, Roosevelt and
Curry
Sixth District. The counties of Grant and Luna.
Seventh District. The counties of Socorro, Valencia and
Sierra.
Eighth District. The counties of Taos, Colfax, Union and
Quay.
In case of the creation of new counties the legislature shall have power to
attach them to any contiguous district for judicial purposes.
Sec. 26. [Magistrate court.]
The legislature shall establish a magistrate court to exercise limited original jurisdiction as may be provided by law. The magistrate court shall be composed of such districts and elective magistrates as may be provided by law. Magistrates shall be qualified electors of, and reside in, their respective districts, and the legislature shall prescribe other qualifications. Magistrates shall receive compensation as may be provided by law, which compensation shall not be diminished during their term of office. Metropolitan court judges shall be chosen as provided in this constitution. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 27. [Appeals from probate courts and other inferior courts.]
Appeals shall be allowed in all cases from the final judgments and decisions of the probate courts and other inferior courts to the district courts, and in all such appeals, trial shall be had de novo unless otherwise provided by law. (Adopted by the people November 8,1966.)
Sec. 28. [Court of appeals; number, qualifications, compensation, terms and election of judges; quorum; majority concurring in judgment.]
The court of appeals shall consist of not less than seven judges who shall be chosen as provided in this constitution, whose qualifications shall be the same as those of justices of the supreme court and whose compensation shall be as provided by law. The increased qualifications provided by this 1988 amendment shall not apply to court of appeals judges serving at the time this amendment passes or elected at the general election in 1988.
Three judges of the court of appeals shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of those participating must concur in any judgment of the court.
When necessary, the chief justice of the supreme court may designate any justice of the supreme court, or any district judge of the state, to act as a judge of the court of appeals, and the chief justice may designate any judge of the court of appeals to hold court in any district, or to act as a justice of the supreme court. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 29. [Court of appeals; jurisdiction; issuance of writs.]
The court of appeals shall have no original jurisdiction. It may be authorized by law to review directly decisions of administrative agencies of the state, and it may be authorized by rules of the supreme court to issue a writs necessary or appropriate in aid of its appellate jurisdiction. In all other cases, it shall exercise appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law. (Adopted by the people September 28, 1965.)
Sec. 30. [Fees collected by judiciary paid to state treasury.]
All fees collected by the judicial department shall be paid into the state treasury as may be provided by law and no justice, judge or magistrate of any court shall retain any fees as compensation or otherwise. (Adopted by the people November 8,1966.)
Sec. 31. [justices of the peace abolished.]
justices of the peace shall be abolished not later than five years from the effective date of this amendment and may, within this period, be abolished by law, and magistrate courts vested with appropriate jurisdiction. Until so abolished, justices of the peace shall be continued under existing laws. (Adopted by the people November 8,1966.)
Sec. 32. [judicial standards commission.]
There is created the "judicial standards commission," consisting of two justices or judges and two lawyers selected as may be provided by law to serve for terms of four years, and five citizens, none of whom is a justice, judge or magistrate of any court or licensed to practice law in this state, who shall be appointed by the governor for five-year staggered terms as may be provided by law. If a position on the commission becomes vacant for any reason, the successor shall be selected by the original appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment was made and shall serve for the remainder of the term vacated. No act of the commission is valid unless concurred in by a majority of its members. The commission shall select one of the members appointed by the governor to serve as chairman.
In accordance with this section, any justice, judge or magistrate of any court may be disciplined or removed for willful misconduct in office, persistent failure or inability to perform a judge's duties, or habitual intemperance, or he may be retired for disability seriously interfering with the performance of his duties which is, or is likely to become, of a permanent character. The commission may, after investigation it deems necessary, order a hearing to be held before it concerning the discipline, removal or retirement of a justice, judge or magistrate, or the commission may appoint three masters who are justices or judges of courts of record to hear and take evidence in the matter and to report their findings to the commission. After hearing or after considering the record and the findings and report of the masters, if the commission finds good cause, it shall recommend to the supreme court the discipline, removal or retirement of the justice, judge or magistrate.
The supreme court shall review the record of the proceedings on the law and facts and may permit the introduction of additional evidence, and it shall order the discipline, removal or retirement as it finds just and proper or wholly reject the recommendation. Upon an order for his retirement, any justice, judge or magistrate participating in a statutory retirement program shall be retired with the same rights as if he had retired pursuant to the retirement program. Upon an order for removal, the justice, judge or magistrate shall thereby be removed from office, and his salary shall cease from the date of the order.
All papers filed with the commission or its masters, and proceedings before the commission or its masters, are confidential. The filing of papers and giving of testimony before the commission or its masters is privileged in any action for defamation, except that the record filed by the commission in the supreme court continues privileged but, upon its filing, loses its confidential character, and a writing which was privileged prior to its filing with the commission or its masters does not lose its privilege by the filing. The commission shall promulgate regulations establishing procedures for hearings under this section. No justice or judge who is a member of the commission or supreme court shall participate in any proceeding involving his own discipline, removal or retirement.
This section is alternative to, and cumulative with, the removal of justices, judges and magistrates by impeachment and the original superintending control of the supreme court. (Adopted by the people November 7,1978.)
Sec. 33. [Retention or rejection at general election.]
A. Each justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, district judge or metropolitan court judge shall have been elected to that position in a partisan election prior to being eligible for a nonpartisan retention election. Thereafter, each such justice or judge shall be subject to retention or rejection on a nonpartisan ballot.
B. Each justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals shall be subject to retention or rejection in like manner at the general election every eighth year.
C. Each district judge shall be subject to retention or rejection in like manner at the general election every sixth year.
D. Each metropolitan court judge shall be subject to retention or rejection in like manner at the general election every fourth year.
E. Every justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, district judge or metropolitan court judge holding office on January I next following the date of the election at which this amendment is adopted shall be deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of Subsection A of this section and the justice or judge shall be eligible for retention or rejection by the electorate at the general election next preceding the end of the term of which the justice or judge was last elected prior to the adoption of this amendment. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 34. [Vacancies in office; date for filing declaration of candidacy]
The office of any justice or judge subject to the provisions of Section 33 of Article 6 of this constitution becomes vacant on January I immediately following the general election at which the justice or judge is rejected by a majority of those voting on the question of his retention or rejection or on January 1 immediately following the date he fails to file a declaration of candidacy for the retention of his office in the general election at which the justice or judge would be subject to retention or rejection by the electorate. Otherwise, the office becomes vacant upon the date of the death, resignation or removal by impeachment of the justice or judge. The date for filing a declaration of candidacy for retention of office shall be the same as that for filing a declaration of candidacy in a primary election. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 35. [Appellate judges nominating commission.]
There is created the "appellate judges nominating commission," consisting of: the chief justice of the supreme court or the chief justice's designee from the supreme court; two judges of the court of appeals appointed by the chief judge of the court of appeals; the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate shall each appoint two persons, one of whom shall be an attorney licensed to practice law in this state and the other who shall be a citizen who is not licensed to practice law in any state; the dean of the university of New Mexico school of law, who shall serve as chairman of the commission and shall vote only in the event of a tie vote; four members of the state bar of New Mexico, representing civil and criminal prosecution and defense, appointed by the president of the state bar and the judges on this committee. The appointments shall be made in such manner that each of the two largest major political parties, as defined by the Election Code, shall be equally represented on the commission. If necessary, the president of the state bar and the judges on this committee shall make the minimum number of additional appointments of members of the state bar as is necessary to make each of the two largest major political parties be equally represented on the commission. These additional members of the state bar shall be appointed such that the diverse interests of the state bar are represented. The dean of the university of New Mexico school of law shall be the final arbiter of whether such diverse interests are represented. Members of the commission shall be appointed for terms as may be provided by law. If a position on the commission becomes vacant for any reason, the successor shall be selected by the original appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment was made and shall serve for the remainder of the term vacated.
The commission shall actively solicit, accept and evaluate applications from qualified lawyers for the position of justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals and may require an applicant to submit any information it deems relevant to the consideration of his application.
Upon the occurrence of an actual vacancy in the office of justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals, the commission shall meet within thirty days and within that period submit to the governor the names of persons qualified for the judicial office and recommended for appointment to that office by a majority of the commission.
Immediately after receiving the commission nominations, the governor may make one request of the commission for submission of additional names, and the commission shall promptly submit such additional names if a majority of the commission finds that additional persons would be qualified and recommends those persons for appointment to the judicial office. The governor shall fill a vacancy or appoint a successor to fill an impending vacancy in the office of justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals within thirty days after receiving final nominations from the commission by appointing one of the persons nominated by the commission for appointment to that office. If the governor fails to make the appointment within that period or from those nominations, the appointment shall be made from those nominations by the chief justice or the acting chief justice of the supreme court. Any person appointed shall serve until the next general election. That person's successor shall be chosen at such election and shall hold the office until the expiration of the original term. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 36. [District court judges nominating committee.]
There is created the "district court judges nominating committee" for each judicial district. Each and every provision of Section 35 of Article 6 of this constitution shall apply to the "district judges nominating committee" except that: the chief judge of the district court of that judicial district or the chief judge's designee from that district court shall sit on the committee; there shall be only one appointment from the court of appeals; and the citizen members and state bar members shall be persons who reside in that judicial district. (Adopted by the people November 8, 1988.)
Sec. 37. [Metropolitan court judges nominating committee.]
There is created the "metropolitan court judges nominating committee" for each metropolitan court. Each and every provision of Section 35 of Article 6 of this constitution shall apply to the metropolitan court judicial nominating committee except that: no judge of the court of appeals shall sit on the committee; the chief judge of the district court of the judicial district in which the metropolitan court is located or the chief judge's designee from that district court shall sit on the committee; the chief judge of that metropolitan court or the chief judge's designee from that metropolitan court shall sit on the committee only in the case of a vacancy in a metropolitan court; and the citizen members and state bar members shall be persons who reside in the judicial district in which that metropolitan court is located. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 38. [Chief judge of district and metropolitan court districts.]
Each judicial district and metropolitan court district shall have a chief judge who shall have the administrative responsibility for that judicial district or metropolitan court district. Each chief judge shall be selected by a majority of the district judges or, in the case of the metropolitan court, by a majority of the metropolitan court judges in that judicial district or metropolitan court district. In the event of a tie, the senior judge shall be the chief judge. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
The legislature shall have the power to require the registration of the qualified electors as a requisite for voting, and shall regulate the manner, time and places of voting. The legislature shall enact such laws as will secure the secrecy of the ballot, the purity of elections and guard against the abuse of elective franchise. Not more than two members of the board of registration, and not more than two judges of election shall belong to the same political party at the time of their appointment. (Adopted by the people November 7,1967.)
Sec. 2. [Qualifications for holding office.]
A. Every citizen of the United States who is a legal resident of the state and is a qualified elector therein, shall be qualified to hold any elective public office except as otherwise provided in this constitution.
B. The legislature may provide by law for such qualifications and standards as may be necessary for holding an appointive position by any public officer or employee.
C. The right to hold public office in New Mexico shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex, and wherever the masculine gender is used in this constitution, in defining the qualifications for specific offices, it shall be construed to include the feminine gender. The payment of public road poll tax, school poll tax or service on juries shall not be made a prerequisite to the right of a person to vote or hold office. (Adopted by the people November 6, 1973).
1. Adoption of the twenty-sixth amendment to the United States constitution has preempted state control of the field of voting age requirements; 18 to 20 year olds are eligible to vote in New Mexico elections notwithstanding this section.
2. The durational residency requirement described in this section is not applicable to elections governed by the Federal Voting Rights Compliance Act (Sections 1-21-1 to 1-21-14 NMSA 1978).
Sec. 3. [Religious and racial equality protected; restrictions on amendments.]
The right of any citizen of the state to vote, hold office or sit upon juries, shall never be restricted, abridged or impaired on account of religion, race, language or color, or inability to speak, read or write the English or Spanish languages except as may be otherwise provided in this constitution; and the provisions of this section and of Section One of this article shall never be amended except upon a vote of the people of this state in an election at which at least three-fourths of the electors voting in the whole state, and at least two-thirds of those voting in each county of the state, shall vote for such amendment.
Sec. 4.[Residence.]
No person shall be deemed to have acquired or lost residence by reason of his presence or absence while employed in the service of the United States or of the state, nor while a student at any school.
Sec. 5. [Election by ballot; plurality elects candidate.]
All elections shall be by ballot, and the person who receives the highest number of votes for any office, except in the cases of the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be declared elected thereto. The joint candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall be declared elected to those offices. (Adopted by the people November 6,1962.)
Section 1. [Levy to be proportionate to value; uniform and equal taxes; percentage of value taxed.]
Taxes levied upon tangible property shall be in proportion to the value thereof, and taxes shall be equal and uniform upon subjects of taxation of the same class. Different methods may be provided by law to determine value of different kinds of property, but the percentage of value against which tax rates are assessed shall not exceed thirty-three and one-third percent. (Adopted by the people November 2,1971.)
Sec. 2. [Property tax limits; exception.]
Taxes levied upon real or personal property for state revenue shall not exceed four mills annually on each dollar of the assessed valuation thereof except for the support of the educational, penal and charitable institutions of the state, payment of the state debt and interest thereon; and the total annual tax levy upon such property for all state purposes exclusive of necessary levies for the state debt shall not exceed ten mills; provided, however, that taxes levied upon real or personal tangible property for all purposes, except special levies on specific classes of property and except necessary levies for public debt, shall not exceed twenty mills annually on each dollar of the assessed valuation thereof, but laws may be passed authorizing additional taxes to be levied outside of such limitation when approved by at least a majority of the qualified electors of the taxing district who paid a property tax therein during the preceding year voting on such proposition. (Adopted by the people November 7,1967.)
Sec. 3. [Tax-exempt property.]
The property of the United States, the state and all counties, towns, cities and school districts and other municipal corporations, public libraries, community ditches and all laterals thereof, all church property not used for commercial purposes, all property used for educational or charitable purposes, all cemeteries not used or held for private or corporate profit and all bonds of the state of New Mexico, and of the counties, municipalities and districts thereof shall be exempt from taxation.
Provided, however, that any property acquired by public libraries, community ditches and all laterals thereof, property acquired by churches, property acquired and used for educational or charitable purposes, and property acquired by cemeteries not used or held for private, or corporate profit, and property acquired by the Indian service and property acquired by the United States government or by the state of New Mexico by outright purchase or trade, where such property was, prior to such transfer, subject to the lien of any tax or assessment for the principal or interest of any bonded indebtedness shall not be exempt from such lien, nor from the payment of such taxes or assessments.
Exemptions of personal property from ad valorem taxation may be provided by law if approved by a three-fourths majority vote of all the members elected to each house of the legislature. (Adopted by the people November 7, 1972.)
Sec. 4. [Misuse and deposit of public money.]
Any public officer making any profit out of public money or using the same for any purpose not authorized by law, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall be punished as provided by law and shall be disqualified to hold public office. All public money not invested in interest-bearing securities shall be deposited in national banks in this state, in banks or trust companies incorporated under the laws of the state, in federal savings and loan associations in this state, in savings and loan associations incorporated under the laws of this state whose deposits are insured by an agency of the United States and in credit unions incorporated under the laws of this state or the United States to the extent that such deposits of public money in credit unions are insured by an agency of the United States, and the interest derived therefrom shall be applied in the manner prescribed by law. The conditions of such deposits shall be provided by law. (Adopted by the people November 4, 1986.)
Sec. 5. [Head of family and veteran exemptions.]
The legislature shall exempt from taxation the property of each head of the family to the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) as follows: in 1989, the legislature shall exempt from taxation eight hundred dollars ($800), in 1991, one thousand four hundred dollars ($1,400) and beginning in 1993, two thousand dollars ($2,000). The legislature shall also exempt from taxation the property, including the community or joint property of husband and wife, of every honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the United States who served in such armed forces during any period in which they were or are engaged in armed conflict under orders of the president of the United States, and the widow or widower of every such honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the United States, in the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000). Provided, that in every case where exemption is claimed on the ground of the claimant's having served with the armed forces of the United States as aforesaid, the burden of proving actual and bona fide ownership of such property upon which exemption is claimed, shall be upon the claimant. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 6. [Assessment of lands.]
Lands held in large tracts shall not be assessed for taxation at any lower value per acre then [than] lands of the same character or quality and similarly situated, held in smaller tracts. The plowing of land shall not be considered as adding value thereto for the purpose of taxation. (Adopted by the people November 3,1914.)
Sec. 7. [judgments against local officials.]
No execution shall issue upon judgment rendered against the board of county commissioners of any county, or against any incorporated city, town or village, school district or board of education; or against any officer of any county, incorporated city, town or village, school district or board of education, upon any judgment recovered against him in his official capacity and for which the county, incorporated city, town or village, school district or board of education, is liable, but the same shall be paid out of the proceeds of a tax levy as other liabilities of counties, incorporated cities, towns or villages, school districts or boards of education, and when so collected shall be paid by the county treasurer to the judgment creditor. (Adopted by the people November 3,1914.)
Sec. 8. [Exemption of certain personalty in transit through the state.]
Personal property which is moving in interstate commerce through or over the state of New Mexico, or which was consigned to a warehouse, public or private, or factory within New Mexico from outside the state for storage in transit to a final destination outside the state of New Mexico, manufacturing, processing or fabricating while in transit to a final destination, whether specified when transportation begins or afterwards, which destination is also outside the state, shall be deemed not to have acquired a situs in New Mexico for purposes of taxation and shall be exempt from taxation. Such property shall not be deprived of such exemption because while in the warehouse the property is assembled, bound, joined, processed, disassembled, divided, cut, broken in bulk, relabeled or repackaged. (Adopted by the people November 6, 1973.)
Sec. 9. [Elected governing authority prerequisite to levy of tax.]
No tax or assessment of any kind shall be levied by any political subdivision whose enabling legislation does not provide for an elected governing authority This section does not prohibit the levying or collection of a tax or special assessment by an initial appointed governing authority where the appointed governing authority will be replaced by an elected one within six years of the date the appointed authority takes office. The provisions of this section shall not be effective until July 1, 1976. (Adopted by the people November 5, 1974.)
Sec. 10. [Severance tax permanent fund.]
There shall be deposited in a permanent trust fund known as the "severance tax permanent fund" that part of state revenue derived from excise taxes which have been or shall be designated severance taxes imposed upon the severance of natural resources within this state, in excess of that amount which has been or shall be reserved by statute for the payment of principal and interest on outstanding bonds to which severance tax revenue has been or shall be pledged. Money in the severance tax permanent fund shall not be expended but shall be invested as provided by law. The income from investments shall be appropriated by the legislature as other general operating revenue is appropriated for the benefit of the people of the state. Money credited to the severance tax permanent fund at the time of the adoption of this amendment shall be credited to and become a part of the permanent trust fund known as the "severance tax permanent fund" hereby created. (Adopted by the people November 2,1982.)
Section 1. [Debts of territory and its counties assumed.]
The state hereby assumes the debts and liabilities of the territory of New Mexico, and the debts of the counties thereof, which were valid and subsisting on June twentieth, nineteen hundred and ten, and pledges its faith and credit for the payment thereof. The legislature shall, at its first session, provide for the payment or refunding thereof by the issue and sale of bonds, or otherwise.
Sec. 2. [Payment of county debts by another county.]
No county shall be required to pay any portion of the debt of any other county so assumed by the state, and the bonds of Grant and Santa Fe counties which were validated, approved and confirmed by act of congress of January sixteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, shall be paid as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 3. [State refunding bonds for assumed debts.]
The bonds authorized by law to provide for the payment of such indebtedness
shall be issued in three series, as follows:
Series A. To provide for the payment of such debts and liabilities of the
territory of New Mexico.
Series B. To provide for the payment of such debts of said
counties.
Series C. To provide for the payment of the bonds and accrued interest
thereon of Grant and Santa Fe counties which were validated, approved and
confirmed by act of congress, January sixteenth, eighteen hundred and
ninety-seven.
Sec. 4. [Sale of lands for certain bond payments.]
The proper officers of the state shall, as soon as practicable, select and locate the one million acres of land granted to the state by congress for the payment of the said bonds of Grant and Santa Fe counties, and sell the same or sufficient thereof to pay the interest and principal of the bonds of Series C issued as provided in Section Three hereof. The proceeds of rentals and sales of said land shall be kept in a separate fund and applied to the payment of the interest and principal of the bonds of Series C. Whenever there is not sufficient money in said fund to meet the interest and sinking fund requirements therefor, the deficiency shall be paid out of any funds of the state not otherwise appropriated, and shall be repaid to the state or to the several counties which may have furnished any portion thereof under a general levy, out of the proceeds subsequently received of rentals and sales of said lands. Any money received by the state from rentals and sales of said lands in excess of the amounts required for the purposes above-mentioned shall be paid into the current and permanent school funds of the state respectively.
Sec. 5. [Remission of county debts to state prohibited.]
The legislature shall never enact any law releasing any county, or any of the taxable property therein, from its obligation to pay to the state any moneys expended by the state by reason of its assumption or payment of the debt of such county.
Sec. 6. [Militia warrants.]
No law shall ever be passed by the legislature validating or legalizing, directly or indirectly, the militia warrants alleged to be outstanding against the territory of New Mexico, or any portion thereof; and no such warrant shall be prima facie or conclusive evidence of the validity of the debt purporting to be evidenced thereby or by any other militia warrant. This provision shall not be construed as authorizing any suit against the state.
Sec. 7. [State indebtedness; purposes.]
The state may borrow money not exceeding the sum of two hundred thousand dollars [($200,000)] in the aggregate to meet casual deficits or failure in revenue, or for necessary expenses. The state may also contract debts to suppress insurrection and to provide for the public defense.
Sec. 8. [State indebtedness; restrictions.]
No debt other than those specified in the preceding section shall be contracted by or on behalf of this state, unless authorized by law for some specified work or object; which law shall provide for an annual tax levy sufficient to pay the interest and to provide a sinking fund to pay the principal of such debt within fifty years from the time of the contracting thereof. No such law shall take effect until it shall have been submitted to the qualified electors of the state and have received a majority of all the votes cast thereon at a general election; such law shall be published in full in at least one newspaper in each county of the state, if one be published therein, once each week, for four successive weeks next preceding such election. No debt shall be so created if the total indebtedness of the state, exclusive of the debts of the territory, and the several counties thereof, assumed by the state, would thereby be made to exceed one percent of the assessed valuation of all the property subject to taxation in the state as shown by the preceding general assessment.
Sec. 9. [Use of borrowed funds.]
Any money borrowed by the state, or any county, district or municipality thereof, shall be applied to the purpose for which it was obtained, or to repay such loan, and to no other purpose whatever.
Sec. 10. [County indebtedness; restrictions.]
No county shall borrow money except for the following purposes:
A. erecting, remodeling and making additions to necessary public buildings;
B. constructing or repairing public roads and bridges;
C. constructing or acquiring a system for supplying water, including the
acquisition of water and water rights, necessary real estate or rights-of-way
and easements;
D. constructing or acquiring a sewer system, including the necessary real
estate or rights-of-way and easements;
E. constructing an airport or sanitary landfill, including the necessary
real estate; or
F. the purchase of books and other library resources for libraries in the
county.
In such cases, indebtedness shall be incurred only after the proposition to
create such debt has been submitted to the registered voters of the county
and approved by a majority of those voting thereon. No bonds issued for
such purpose shall run for more than fifty years. Provided, however, that no
money derived from general obligation bonds issued and sold hereunder
shall be used for maintaining existing buildings and, if so, such bonds shall
be invalid. (Adopted by the people November 8,1988.)
Sec. 11. [School district indebtedness; restrictions.]
No school district shall borrow money except for the purpose of erecting, remodeling, making additions to and furnishing school buildings or purchasing or improving school grounds or any combination of these purposes, and in such cases only when the proposition to create the debt has been submitted to a vote of such qualified electors of the district as are owners of real estate within the school districts and a majority of those voting on the question have voted in favor of creating such debt. No school district shall ever become indebted in an amount exceeding six percent on the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district as shown by the preceding general assessment. (Adopted by the people September 28, 1965.)
Sec. 12. [Municipal indebtedness; restrictions.]
No city, town or village shall contract any debt except by an ordinance, which shall be irrepealable until the indebtedness therein provided for shall have been fully paid or discharged, and which shall specify the purposes to which the funds to be raised shall be applied, and which shall provide for the levy of a tax, not exceeding twelve mills on the dollar upon all taxable property within such city, town or village, sufficient to pay the interest on, and to extinguish the principal of, such debt within fifty years. The proceeds of such tax shall be applied only to the payment of such interest and principal. No such debt shall be created unless the question of incurring the same shall, at a regular election for councilmen, aldermen or other officers of such city, town or village, or at any special election called for such purpose, have been submitted to a vote of such qualified electors thereof as have paid a property tax therein during the preceding year, and a majority of those voting on the question by ballot deposited in a separate ballot box when voting in a regular election, shall have voted in favor of creating such debt. A proposal which does not receive the required number of votes for adoption at any special election called for that purpose, shall not be resubmitted in any special election within a period of one year. For the purpose, only, of voting on the creation of the debt, any person owning property within the corporate limits of the city, town or village who has paid a property tax therein during the preceding year and who is otherwise qualified to vote in the county where such city, town or village is situated shall be a qualified elector. (Adopted by the people November 3,1964.)
1. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to make the ownership of property in a school district a prerequisite to voting in school district bond elections.
38 Sec. 13. [County and municipal debt limit; exceptions.]
No county, city, town or village shall ever become indebted to an amount in the aggregate, including existing indebtedness, exceeding four per centum on the value of the taxable property within such county, city, town or village, as shown by the last preceding assessment for state or county taxes; and all bonds or obligations issued in excess of such amount shall be void; provided, that any city, town or village may contract debts in excess of such limitation for the construction or purchase of a system for supplying water, or of a sewer system, for such city, town or village.
Sec. 14. [Aid to private enterprise; veterans'scholarship program; student loans.]
Neither the state, nor any county, school district, or municipality, except as otherwise provided in this constitution, shall directly or indirectly lend or pledge its credit, or make any donation to or in aid of any person, association or public or private corporation, or in aid of any private enterprise for the construction of any railroad; provided, nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the state or any county or municipality from making provision for the care and maintenance of sick and indigent persons, nor shall it prohibit the state from establishing a veterans' scholarship program for Vietnam conflict veterans who are post-secondary students at educational institutions under the exclusive control of the state by exempting such veterans from the payment of tuition. For the purposes of this section a "Vietnam conflict veteran" is any person who has been honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States, who was a resident of New Mexico at the original time of entry into the armed forces from New Mexico and who has been awarded a Vietnam campaign medal for service in the armed forces of this country in Vietnam during the period from August 5, 1964 to the official termination date of the Vietnam conflict as designated by executive order of the president of the United States. The state may also establish by law a program of loans to students of the healing arts, as defined by law, for residents of the state who, in return for the payment of educational expenses, contract with the state to practice their profession for a period of years after graduation within areas of the state designated by law. (Adopted by the people November 5, 1974.)
Sec. 15. [State and local refunding bonds.]
Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit the issue of bonds for the purpose of paying or refunding any valid state, county, district or municipal bonds and it shall not be necessary to submit the question of the issue of such bonds to a vote as herein provided.
Sec. 16. [State highway bonds.]
Laws enacted by the fifth legislature authorizing the issue and sale of state highway bonds for the purpose of providing funds for the construction and improvement of state highways and to enable the state to meet and secure allotments of federal funds to aid in construction and improvement of roads, and laws so enacted authorizing the issue and sale of state highway debentures to anticipate the collection of revenues from motor vehicle licenses and other revenues provided by law for the state road fund, shall take effect without submitting them to the electors of the state, and notwithstanding that the total indebtedness of the state may thereby temporarily exceed one per centum of the assessed valuation of all the property subject to taxation in the state. Provided, that the total amount of such state highway bonds payable from proceeds of taxes levied on property outstanding at any one time shall not exceed two million dollars [($2,000,000)]. The legislature shall not enact any law which will decrease the amount of the annual revenues pledged for the payment of state highway debentures or which will divert any of such revenues to any other purpose so long as any of the said debentures issued to anticipate the collection thereof remain unpaid. (Adopted by the people September 20, 1921.)
Section 1. [Classification of counties; salaries and fees of county officers.]
The legislature shall at its first session classify the counties and fix salaries for all county officers, which shall also apply to those elected at the first election under this constitution. And no county officer shall receive to his own use any fees or emoluments other than the annual salary provided by law, and all fees earned by any officer shall be by him collected and paid into the treasury of the county.
Sec. 2. [Terms of county officers.]
A. In every county all elected officials shall serve four-year terms, subject to
the provisions of Subsection B of this section.
B. In those counties that prior to 1992 have not had four-year terms for
elected officials, the assessor, sheriff and probate judge shall be elected to
four-year terms and the treasurer and clerk shall be elected to two-year terms
in the first election following the adoption of this amendment. In subsequent
elections, the treasurer and clerk shall be elected to four-year
terms.
C. To provide for staggered county commission terms, in counties with
three county commissioners, the terms of no more than two commissioners
shall expire in the same year; and in counties with five county commissioners,
the terms of no more than three commissioners shall expire in the same
year.
D. All county officers, after having served two consecutive four-year terms,
shall be ineligible to hold any public office for two years thereafter. (Adopted
by the people November 3,1992.)
Sec. 3. [Removal of county seats.]
No county seat, where there are county buildings, shall be removed unless three-fifths of the votes cast by qualified electors on the question of removal at an election called and held as now or hereafter provided by law, be in favor of such removal. The proposition of removal shall not be submitted in the same county oftener than once in eight years.
Sec. 4. [Combined city and county corporations.]
A. The legislature shall, by general law, provide for the formation of combined city and county municipal corporations, and for the manner of determining the territorial limits thereof, each of which shall be known as a "city and county," and, when organized, shall contain a population of at least fifty thousand (50,000) inhabitants. No such city and county shall be formed except by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the area proposed to be included therein, and if the proposed area includes any area not within the existing limits of a city, a majority of those electors living outside the city, voting separately shall be required. Any such city and county shall be permitted to frame a charter for its own government and amend the same, in the manner provided by the legislature by general law for the formation and organization of such corporations.
B. Every such charter Shall designate the respective officers of such city and county who shall perform the duties imposed by law upon county officers and shall make provisions for the payment of existing city and county indebtedness as hereinafter required. The officers of a city and county, their compensation, qualifications, term of office and manner of election or appointment, shall be a,5,provided for in its charter, subject to general laws and applicable constitutional provisions. The salary of any elective or appointive officer of a city and county shall not be changed after his election or appointment or during his term of office; nor shall the term of any such officer be extended beyond the period for which he is elected or appointed. Every such city and county shall have and enjoy all rights, powers and privileges asserted in its charter not inconsistent with its general laws, and, in addition thereto, such rights, powers and privileges as may be granted to it, or possessed and enjoyed by cities and counties of like population separately organized.
C. No city or county government existing outside the territorial limits of such city and county shall exercise any police, taxation or other powers within the territorial limits of such city and county, but all such powers shall be exercised by the city and county and the officers thereof, subject to such constitutional provisions and general laws as apply to either cities or counties.
D. In case an existing county is divided in the formation of city and county government, such city and county shall be liable for a just proportion of the existing debts or liabilities of the former county and shall account for and pay the county remaining a just proportion of the value of any real estate or other property owned by the former county and taken over by the city and county government, the method of determining such proportion shall be prescribed by general law, but such division shall not affect the rights of creditors.
E. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to alter or amend the existing constitutional provisions regarding apportionment of representation in the legislature or in the boundaries of legislative districts or judicial districts, nor the jurisdiction or organization of the district or probate courts. (Adopted by the people September 20, 1949.)
Sec. 5. [Incorporated counties.]
Any county at the time of the adoption of this amendment, which is less
than one hundred forty-four square miles in area and has a population of ten
thousand or more may become an incorporated county by the following procedure:
A. upon the filing of a petition containing the signatures of at least ten
percent of the registered voters in the county, the board of county commissioners
shall appoint a charter commission consisting of not less than three
persons to draft an incorporated county charter; or
B. the board of county commissioners may, upon its own initiative, appoint a
charter comn-dssion consisting of not less than three persons to draft
an incorporated county charter; and
C. the proposed charter drafted by the charter commission shall be submitted
to the qualified voters of the county within one year after the appointment of
the commission and if adopted by a majority of the qualified voters
voting in the election the county shall become an incorporated county.
The charter of an incorporated county shall provide for the form and organization
of the incorporated county government and shall designate those
officers which shall be elected, and those officers and employees which shall
perform the duties assigned by law to county officers.
An incorporated county may exercise all powers and shall be subject to all limitations granted to municipalities by Article 9, Section 12 of the constitution of New Mexico and all powers granted to municipalities by statute. A charter of an incorporated county shall be amended in accordance with the provisions of the charter.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed to alter or amend the existing constitutional provisions regarding apportionment of representation in the legislature or in the boundaries of legislative districts or judicial districts, nor the jurisdiction or organization of the district or probate courts. The provisions of this amendment shall be self-executing. (Adopted by the people November 3,1964.)
Sec. 6. [Municipal home rule.]
A. For the purpose of electing some or all of the members of the governing
body of a municipality:
(1) the legislature may authorize a municipality by general law to be districted;
(2) if districts have not been established as authorized by law, the governing
body of a municipality may, by resolution, authorize the distracting of
the municipality. The resolution shall not become effective in the municipality
until approved by a majority vote in the municipality;
and
(3) if districts have not been established as authorized by law or by resolution,
the voters of a municipality, by a petition which is signed by not less
than five percent of the registered qualified electors of the municipality and
which specified the number of members of the governing body to be elected
from districts, may require the governing body to submit to the registered
qualified electors of the municipality, at the next regular municipal election
held not less than sixty days after the petition is filed, a resolution requiring
the distracting of the municipality by its governing body. The resolution shall
not become effective in the municipality until approved by a majority vote in
the municipality. The signatures for a petition shall be collected within a six-
months period.
B. Any member of the governing body of a municipality representing a district shall be a resident of, and elected by, the registered qualified electors of that district.
C. The registered qualified electors of a municipality may adopt, amend or repeal a charter in the manner provided by law. In the absence of law, the governing body of a municipality may appoint a charter commission upon its own initiative or shall appoint a charter commission upon the filing of a petition containing the signatures of at least five percent of the registered qualified electors of the municipality. The charter commission shall consist of not less than seven members who shall draft a proposed charter. The proposed charter shall be submitted to the registered qualified electors of the municipality within one year after the appointment of the charter commission. If the charter is approved by a majority vote in the municipality, it shall become effective at the time and in the manner provided in the charter.
D. A municipality which adopts a charter may exercise all legislative powers and perform all functions not expressly denied by general law or charter. This grant of powers shall not include the power to enact private or civil laws governing civil relationships except as incident to the exercise of an independent municipal power, nor shall it include the power to provide for a penalty greater than the penalty provided for a petty misdemeanor. No tax imposed by the governing body of a charter municipality, except a tax authorized by general law, shall become effective until approved by a majority vote in the charter municipality.
E. The purpose of this section is to provide for maximum local self-government. A liberal construction shall be given to the powers of municipalities. (Adopted by the people November 3,1970.)
Sec. 7. [Five-member boards of county commissioners.]
The board of county commissioners by unanimous vote may adopt an ordinance to increase the size of the boards of county commissioners to five members. Upon creation of a five-member board, the county shall be divided by the incumbent board of county commissioners into five county commission districts that shall be compact, contiguous and as nearly equal in population as practicable. One county commissioner shall reside within and be elected from each county commission district. Change of residence to a place outside the district from which a county commissioner was elected shall automatically terminate the service of that commissioner and the office shall be declared vacant. (Adopted by the people November 3, 1992.)
Sec. 8. [New activity or service mandated by state rule or regulation.]
A state rule or regulation mandating any county or city to engage in any new activity, to provide any new service or to increase any current level of activity or to provide any service beyond that required by existing law, shall not have the force of law, unless, or until, the state provides sufficient new funding or a means of new funding to the county or city to pay the cost of performing the mandated activity or service for the period of time during which the activity or service is required to be performed. (Adopted by the people November 6,1984.)
Section 1. [Creation and composition of state corporation commission.]
A permanent commission to consist of three members is hereby created, which shall be known as the "state corporation commission."
Sec. 2. [Election and terms of corporation commissioners.]
The members of the commission shall be elected for the term of six years; provided, that those chosen at the first election for state officers shall immediately qualify and classify themselves by lot, so that one of them shall hold of- fice until two years, one until four years and one until six years from and after January first, nineteen hundred and thirteen; and thereafter one commissioner shall be elected at each general election.
Sec. 3. [Disqualifications for corporation commissioners.]
No officer, agent or employee of any railway, express, telegraph, telephone, sleeping-car or other transportation or transmission company, while representing such company, nor any person financially interested therein, shall hold office as a member of the commission, or perform any of the duties thereof, and no commissioner shall be qualified to act upon any matter pending before the commission, in which he is interested, either as principal, agent or attorney.
Sec. 4. [Officers, assistants, procedure and attorney of corporation commission.]
The commission shall annually elect one of its members chairman and shall have one clerk, and such other officers, assistants and subordinates as may be prescribed by law, all of whom shall be appointed and subject to removal by the commission. The commission shall prescribe its own rules of order and procedure, except so far as specified in this constitution. The attorney general of the state, or his legally authorized representative, shall be the attorney for the commission.
Sec. 5. [Quarters, expenses and salaries of corporation commission.]
The legislature shall provide suitable quarters for the commission, and funds for its lawful expenses, including necessary traveling expenses, witness fees and mileage and cost of executing process issued by the commission, or the supreme court, or the district courts. The salary of each commissioner shall be prescribed by the legislature. (Adopted by the people November 3,1964.)
Sec. 6. [General duties of corporation commission.]
Subject to the provisions of this constitution, and of such requirements, rules and regulations as may be prescribed by law, the state corporation commission shall be the department of government through which shall be issued all charters for domestic corporations and amendments or extensions thereof, and all licenses to foreign corporations to do business in this state; and through which shall be carried out all the provisions of this constitution relating to corporations and the laws made in pursuance thereof. The commission shall prescribe the form of all reports which may be required of corporations by this constitution o