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New Mexico State Senate

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New Mexico State Senate

Seal of New Mexico.gif
General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 17, 2012
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   John A. Sanchez, (R)
Majority Leader:   Michael Sanchez (D)
Minority leader:   Stuart Ingle, (R)
Structure
Members:  42
   Democratic Party (28)
Republican Party (14)
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:   Art IV, Section 3, New Mexico Constitution
Salary:   $0/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 4, 2008 (42 seats)
Next election:  November 6, 2012 (42 seats)
Redistricting:  New Mexico legislature has control.

Contents

The New Mexico State Senate is the upper house of the New Mexico Legislature. It consists of 42 members and each member represents an average of 49,028 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 43,311 residents.[2] In odd-numbered years, state senators meet 60 days; in even-numbered years, they meet 30 days.

All seats are up for election every four years and are not subject to term limits. The next election will be in 2012.

Sessions

Article IV of the New Mexico Constitution establishes when the New Mexico State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 5 of Article IV states that the Legislature is to convene its annual regular session on the third Tuesday of January. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is to be in session for no longer than sixty days. In even-numbered years, the Legislature is to be in session for no longer than thirty days. In even-numbered years, the Legislature is limited to dealing with budgetary matters, bills that deal with issues raised by special messages of the Governor of New Mexico, and bills vetoed in the previous session by the Governor.

Section 6 of Article IV allows the Governor of New Mexico to call special sessions of the Legislature. Section 6 also allows the Legislature to meet in special session when three-fifths of each house petition the Governor with a request for a special session. Special sessions are not to exceed thirty days in length.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Senate was in session from January 17 through February 16.

Major issues

In their 30-day session the legislature considered drivers licenses for illegal immigrants, voter identification, business income tax, ethics reform, and defining homeowner rights in foreclosure proceedings.[3]

Gov. Susana Martinez (R) watched as the state legislature ended its session by rejecting a bill that would have repealed the law allowing drivers licenses to be issued to people without Social Security numbers. It was the third time she has tried to undo the law. The bill was initially passed by the House but defeated in the Senate. The Senate instead passed a measure shortening how long the licenses are valid and imposing harsher penalties on those committing fraud.[4]

2011

In 2011, the Legislature was in session from January 18 through March 19. [5] As of late July, a special session will be scheduled for early September, however, a date has not been confirmed by Governor Susana Martinez. As of late July, issues on the agenda include:[6]

  • Fireworks use and sale ban in very dry years
  • A measure giving in-state companies an advantage when bidding for contracts
  • A ban on issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants

The 45 calendar days that the New Mexico Legislature was in session during 2011 is tied with Utah, Wyoming, and Arkansas for the shortest legislative session in the country.[7]

2010

In 2010, the Senate was in regular session from January 19 to February 18. Additionally, the Senate convened a special session from March 1 to March 4.[8]

Elections

2012

See also: New Mexico State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of New Mexico State Senate will be held in New Mexico on November 6, 2012. A total of 42 seats will be up for election. Every four years all seats are up for reelection.

The signature filing deadline is February 14 2012.

Qualifications

Article 4, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution states: 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 provided in Section 4 of this article. No person shall be eligible to serve in the 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.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Senate, the Board of County Commissioners in the county representing the vacant seat must appoint a replacement. There are no deadlines set by Article IV, Section 4 of the New Mexico Constitution which governs legislative vacancies. The appointed replacement serves for the remainder of the unfilled term[9].

Senators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the New Mexico Senate are paid $0/year. Per diem is $153/day tied to the federal rate.[10]

The $0/year that New Mexico senators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $142/day in 2007 to $159/day in 2010 and decreased to $153/day in 2011.[11][12]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

New Mexico legislators assume office January 1st.

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of May 2012
     Democratic Party 28
     Republican Party 14
Total 42


Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico is the presiding officer of the Senate and in that capacity is referred to as President of the Senate. However, the Lt. Gov can only vote in the case of a tie.

The Senate Committees' Committee exercises leadership and administrative control of the Senate. The committee is chaired by the president pro tempore and is made up of majority and minority leaders.[13][14]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party
President of the Senate John A. Sanchez Ends.png Republican
State Senate President Pro Tempore Timothy Jennings Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Majority Floor Leader Michael Sanchez Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Minority Floor Leader Stuart Ingle Ends.png Republican
State Senate Minority Whip William Payne Ends.png Republican

List of current members

District Representative Party
1 William Sharer Ends.png Republican
2 Steven Neville Ends.png Republican
3 John Pinto Electiondot.png Democratic
4 George Munoz Electiondot.png Democratic
5 Richard Martinez Electiondot.png Democratic
6 Carlos Cisneros Electiondot.png Democratic
7 Clinton Harden Ends.png Republican
8 Pete Campos Electiondot.png Democratic
9 John Sapien Electiondot.png Democratic
10 John Ryan Ends.png Republican
11 Linda Lopez Electiondot.png Democratic
12 Jerry Ortiz y Pino Electiondot.png Democratic
13 Dede Feldman Electiondot.png Democratic
14 Eric Griego Electiondot.png Democratic
15 Tim Eichenberg Electiondot.png Democratic
16 Cisco McSorley Electiondot.png Democratic
17 Tim Keller Electiondot.png Democratic
18 Mark Boitano Ends.png Republican
19 Sue Beffort Ends.png Republican
20 William Payne Ends.png Republican
21 Lisa Curtis Electiondot.png Democratic
22 Lynda Lovejoy Electiondot.png Democratic
23 Sander Rue Ends.png Republican
24 Nancy Rodriguez Electiondot.png Democratic
25 Peter Wirth Electiondot.png Democratic
26 Bernadette Sanchez Electiondot.png Democratic
27 Stuart Ingle Ends.png Republican
28 Howie Morales Electiondot.png Democratic
29 Michael Sanchez Electiondot.png Democratic
30 David Ulibarri Electiondot.png Democratic
31 Cynthia Nava Electiondot.png Democratic
32 Timothy Jennings Electiondot.png Democratic
33 Rod Adair Ends.png Republican
34 Vernon Asbill Ends.png Republican
35 John Arthur Smith Electiondot.png Democratic
36 Mary Jane Garcia Electiondot.png Democratic
37 Stephen Fischmann Electiondot.png Democratic
38 Mary Papen Electiondot.png Democratic
39 Phil Griego Electiondot.png Democratic
40 Bill Burt Ends.png Republican
41 Carroll Leavell Ends.png Republican
42 Gay Kernan Ends.png Republican

Senate Standing Committees

The New Mexico Senate has 9 standing committees:

External links

References

  1. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  2. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  3. ↑ Santa Fe New Mexican, "Election-year tension and redrawn districts set stage for political dramas at the Capitol," January 15, 2012
  4. ↑ Latin American Herald Tribune, "Undocumented New Mexicans Can Still Get Driver’s Licenses," February 19, 2012
  5. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  6. ↑ KRQE.com, Special session agenda getting longer, July 18, 2011
  7. ↑ South Carolina Policy Council "50 State Legislative Session Interactive Map," February 2011
  8. ↑ 2010 session dates for New Mexico Legislature
  9. ↑ New Mexico Legislature "New Mexico Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article IV, Section 4)
  10. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  11. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  12. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  13. ↑ New Mexico Legislative Handbook - Pg. 8 "Organization"
  14. ↑ New Mexico Senate Leadership
v • d • e
Democrat majority Current members of the New Mexico Senate
Senate President: John A. Sanchez • Senate Majority Leader: Michael Sanchez (D) • Senate Minority Leader: Stuart Ingle (R)
Democratic (28) • Republican (14) • New Mexico Senate • New Mexico House of Representatives
v • d • e
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