Highlights – a Summary of the Session
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FORTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, FIRST SESSION 2003 Acts carrying an emergency clause become effective immediately upon signature by the governor; all other acts passed during the session and approved by the governor become effective 90 days after adjournment of the legislature, which is the first moment of June 20, 2003, or at a date specified in the act. New Mexico Legislative Council Service 411 State Capitol Santa Fe, New Mexico May 13, 2003 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................. i Alcoholic Beverages .......................................................... 1 Appropriations and Finance..................................................... 2 Revenue.............................................................. 3 Appropriations......................................................... 5 Capital Outlay ......................................................... 7 State Funds Investment .................................................. 8 New Mexico Finance Authority ........................................... 9 Children, Youth and Families .................................................. 11 Children's Code ....................................................... 11 Other Measures ....................................................... 12 Constitutional Amendments .................................................... 13 Consumers, Business and Financial Institutions .................................... 14 Consumer Protection................................................... 14 Financial Institutions ................................................... 16 Workers' Compensation................................................. 17 Unemployment Compensation ........................................... 17 Wages............................................................... 18 Regulation and Licensing ............................................... 18 Courts, Criminal Law, Corrections and Public Safety................................ 18 Courts............................................................... 19 Criminal Law and Corrections............................................ 20 DWI................................................................ 22 Public Safety ......................................................... 24 Economic Development ....................................................... 25 Education.................................................................. 29 Public Schools ........................................................ 29 Public School Finance .................................................. 34 Public School Capital Outlay ............................................. 34 Educational Retirement System........................................... 36 Higher Education...................................................... 37 Elections................................................................... 38 Environment and Natural Resources............................................. 40 Oil and Gas .......................................................... 42 Game and Fish.............................................................. 43 Gaming.................................................................... 44 Health and Public Assistance................................................... 45 Medicaid ............................................................ 46 Hospitals and Health Care Delivery ....................................... 47 Prescription Drugs..................................................... 49 Public Assistance...................................................... 50 Indian and Intergovernmental Affairs ............................................ 52 Insurance .................................................................. 53 Construction and Workers' Compensation Insurance .......................... 53 Health Insurance ...................................................... 55 Insurance Code Administration, General Provisions and Premiums ............... 56 Motor Vehicle Insurance................................................ 58 Legislature and Legislators .................................................... 58 Local Government........................................................... 61 Local Government Finances and Taxes..................................... 61 Land Use ............................................................ 64 Other ............................................................... 65 Miscellaneous .............................................................. 66 Motor Vehicles and Transportation.............................................. 69 Aircraft and Airports................................................... 69 Commercial Drivers and Motor Vehicles ................................... 70 Driver's Licenses ...................................................... 72 Motor Vehicle Sales.................................................... 73 Public Transportation................................................... 73 Special Vehicle Registration Plates........................................ 74 Professional and Occupational Licensure ......................................... 76 Construction Industries ................................................. 76 Health Care Boards .................................................... 77 Other ............................................................... 80 Real Estate........................................................... 80 Public Officers and Employees................................................. 81 State Agencies.............................................................. 83 New Agencies Created.................................................. 83 Changes in Existing Agencies............................................ 84 Relating to All Agencies ................................................ 85 Taxation................................................................... 86 Tax Administration .................................................... 87 Fuel Taxes ........................................................... 88 Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax ..................................... 88 Income Taxes......................................................... 90 Property Tax ......................................................... 92 Other Taxes .......................................................... 94 Utilities and Telecommunications ............................................... 96 Water and Water Utilities ..................................................... 97 Water Project Financing ............................................... 101 Appendix Session Statistics .......................................................... 1 - A Table 1 — Summary of General Fund Appropriations ............................. 4 - A Table 2 — General Appropriation Act of 2003 ................................... 6 - A Table 3 — General Appropriation Act Vetoes .................................. 14 - A Table 4 — Supplemental General Appropriation Act - General Fund ................ 15 - A Table 5 — Supplemental General Appropriation Act - Other State Funds ............. 24 - A Chart 1 — General Fund Appropriations - Combined FY 03 & 04 .................. 26 - A Chart 2 — General Fund Appropriations - Separate FY 03 & 04 .................... 27 - A Table 6 — Bills Affecting General Fund Revenue ............................... 28 - A Table 7 — 2003 Capital Outlay Projects ....................................... 29 - A Table 8 — Capital Outlay Statistics .......................................... 83 - A Chart 3 — Capital Outlay Appropriations...................................... 84 - A Reauthorizations and Reappropriations......................................... 85-A Table 9 — Public Project Revolving Fund - NMFA .............................. 111-A Concordance ........................................................... 122 - A Introduction "Clapping with the right hand only will not produce a noise." Malay Proverb The first session of the forty-sixth legislature, marked by newfound cooperation with the executive, moved with unprecedented speed and efficiency on major pieces of legislation. Personal income tax relief, education reform, changes to medicaid and drunken driving and public safety measures were all approved relatively quickly. The efforts to enact these and other measures produced plenty of noise, but the debate centered more on policy and less on politics; communication was frequent and frank. New Mexico did not face the same budget crisis as other states and a personal income tax cut expected to be worth $360 million once fully implemented was approved before the session's halfway point — a remarkable feat. By the end of the session, however, measures were approved to deposit all of the money from the state's settlement with tobacco companies for the next four years into the general fund rather than saving half in a permanent fund, increase the cigarette tax by 70¢ a pack, squeeze up to $22.5 million from the medicaid program and retain 1¢ of the gasoline tax that was set to expire July 1. - i - A comprehensive education reform package, including higher minimum salaries for teachers, was approved. Two proposed amendments to the constitution — one to give the governor control over state education policy and another to devote more money from the land grant permanent funds for public schools — were approved for submission to the voters at a special election in September. Legislation to deal with public health emergencies, drunken