Modernizing the NM Legislature into a Professional, Paid Organization

Problem Statement

Positive change in New Mexico is stymied by a number of barriers, not the least of which is the power of big money interests, the oil and gas industry and others. But structural factors also limit our legislature’s ability to serve the people’s interests:

1. The limited durations of the NM sessions (60 days in odd years, 30 days in even years with an agenda limited by the Gov’s call) allows opponents to run out the clock. They can drag out committee hearings and floor sessions, leaving the majority of bills to die at the end of the session. Changing this will require a constitutional amendment to Article IV sections 5 & 6, which specify the session parameters.
2. NM legislators are paid only a per diem (as of 2021, currently $192/day) as specified in Article IV section 10 [Compensation of members] limiting the candidate pool to those with independent means of financial support.
3. NM legislators lack any significant staffing help, they are not provided with in-district office space, websites, staffers to hear or support constituent services or do research on district needs, etc. (1)

Item 3, the staffing issue, should be solvable by legislation. The legislature already votes to pay for their session expenses and some staff personnel via the $30M ‘Feed Bill’ HB1.

For a New Mexico legislature to govern as a modern state in the 21st century these structural limitations need to be addressed.

1. LCS does provide central staffing to draft bills. Office space is available in the Roundhouse.