The New Mexico Legislature () is the legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate.

History

The New Mexico Legislature was established when New Mexico officially became a state and was admitted to the union in 1912. Congress established New Mexico as a territory in 1850 before it became a state. Over the span of 62 years, five constitutional conventions were held which resulted in four distinct draft constitutions. The fourth draft was ratified and became effective in 1912 when New Mexico became the 47th state.

In 1922, Bertha M. Paxton became the first woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature, serving one term in the House of Representatives.

Session structure and operations The Legislature meets every year, in regular session on the third Tuesday in January. The New Mexico Constitution limits the regular session to 60 calendar days, every other year it is 30 days. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, while the Speaker of the House is elected from that body in a closed-door majority-member caucus. Both have wide latitude in choosing committee membership in their respective houses and have a large impact on lawmaking in the state.

While only the Governor can call the Legislature into special sessions, the Legislature can call itself into an extraordinary session. There is no limit on the number of special sessions a governor can call. The New Mexico Constitution does not limit the duration of each special session; lawmakers may consider only those issues designated by the governor in the "call," or proclamation convening the special session (though other issues may be added by the Governor during a session).

Any bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor takes effect 90 days after its passage unless two-thirds of each house votes to give the bill immediate effect, earlier effect (before 90 day period), or later effect (after 90 day period).

Compensation New Mexico does not pay its legislators a base salary. Legislators receive per diem of $191 per day for work at the capitol or committee hearings and mileage reimbursement at the federal rate of 70 cents per mile. They can receive a per diem outside of legislative session.

Qualifications The state constitution requires representatives to be at least twenty-one years old and senators to be at least twenty-five, and members of both houses must live in the districts they represent.

Districting The legislature consists of 70 representatives and 42 senators. Each member of the House represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico. Each member of the Senate represents roughly 43,300 residents. Currently the Democratic Party holds a majority in both of the chambers of New Mexico Legislature, and holds the Governor's office.

Redistricting In 2021, Senate Bill 304 established the Citizen Redistricting Committee. The committee is to develop three redistricting plans to recommend to the Legislature for each of the following: U.S. House of Representatives, New Mexico House of Representatives, New Mexico Senate, and any other state offices requiring redistricting. As of the summer of 2021, the latter consisted of only the New Mexico Public Education Commission. The Legislature is still free to make its own redistricting plans.

Term limits Currently, there are no term limits for legislators. The longest current member of the legislature has served since 1972. House members are elected every two years, while Senate members are elected every four years.

Party summary State Senate

AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalDemocraticRepublicanVacantEnd of previous legislature 27 15 420Jan 1, 2015 - Mar 14, 2015 25 17 420Mar 14, 2015 - Apr 5, 2015 24 17 411Apr 5, 2015 – Jan 17, 2017 24 18 420Jan 17, 2017 – Jan 19, 2021 26 16 420Jan 19, 2021 – present 27 15 420

House of Representatives

AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalDemocraticIndRepublicanVacant51st legislature380 32 70 052nd legislature 33 037 70 053rd legislature38 0 32 70 054th legislature4612370055th legislature4322469156th legislature45025700

List of legislatures This is a list of legislatures of New Mexico since statehood in 1912.

Session Years House Senate Governor Total Democrats Republicans Others Total Democrats Republicans Others 1912–1914 49 16 30 3 24 7 16 1 William W. McDonald 1915-1916 49 14 33 2 24 7 16 1 1917-1918 49 19 30 - 24 10 14 - Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca Washington E. Lindsey 1919-1920 49 15 34 - 24 9 15 - Octaviano Larrazolo 1921-1922 49 15 34 - 24 9 15 - Merritt C. Mechem 1923-1924 49 33 16 - 24 9 15 - James F. Hinkle 1925-1926 49 28 21 - 24 11 13 - Arthur T. Hannett 1927-1928 49 18 31 - 24 11 13 - Richard C. Dillon 1929-1930 49 12 37 - 24 6 18 - 1931-1932 49 28 21 - 24 8 16 - Arthur Seligman 1933-1934 49 41 8 - 24 20 4 - 42 7 - Andrew W. Hockenhull 1935-1936 49 38 12 - 24 18 6 - Clyde Tingley 1937-1938 49 47 2 - 24 23 1 - 1939-1940 49 42 7 - 24 23 1 - John E. Miles 1941-1942 49 40 9 - 24 21 3 - 1943-1944 49 33 16 - 24 21 3 - John J. Dempsey 1945-1946 49 30 19 - 24 18 6 - 1947-1948 49 30 19 - 24 18 6 - Thomas J. Mabry 1949-1950 49 36 13 - 24 19 5 - 1951-1952 55 46 9 - 24 18 6 - Edwin L. Mechem 1953-1954 55 27 28 - 31 22 9 - 1955-1956 55 51 4 - 32 23 9 - John F. Simms 1957-1958 66 43 23 - 32 24 8 - Edwin L. Mechem 1959-1960 66 60 6 - 32 24 8 - John Burroughs 1961-1962 66 59 7 - 32 28 4 - Edwin L. Mechem Tom Bolack 1963-1964 66 55 11 - 32 28 4 - Jack M. Campbell 1965-1966 77 59 18 - 32 28 4 - 1967-1968 70 45 25 - 42 25 17 - David F. Cargo 1969-1970 70 44 26 - 42 25 17 - 1971-1972 70 48 22 - 42 28 14 - Bruce King 1973-1974 70 51 19 - 42 30 12 - 50 20 - 1975-1976 70 51 19 - 42 29 13 - Jerry Apodaca 30 12 - 1977-1978 70 48 22 - 42 33 9 - 1979-1980 70 41 29 - 42 33 9 - Bruce King 32 10 - 1981-1982 70 41 29 - 42 22 20 - 23 19 - 1983-1984 70 46 24 - 42 23 19 - Toney Anaya 47 23 - 1985-1986 70 43 27 - 42 21 21 - 20 22 - 42 20 22 - 1987-1988 70 47 23 - 42 21 21 - Garrey Carruthers 46 24 - 42 21 21 - 1989-1990 70 45 25 - 42 26 16 - 25 17 - 1991-1992 70 49 21 - 42 26 16 - Bruce King 1993-1994 70 53 17 - 42 27 15 - 1995-1996 70 46 24 - 42 27 15 - Gary Johnson 1997-1998 70 42 28 - 42 25 17 - 1999-2000 70 40 30 - 42 25 17 - 2001-2002 70 42 28 - 42 24 18 - 2003-2004 70 43 27 - 42 24 18 - Bill Richardson 2005-2006 70 42 28 - 42 24 18 - 2007-2008 70 42 28 - 42 24 18 - 2009-2010 70 45 25 - 42 27 15 - 2011-2012 70 36 33 1 42 27 15 - Susana Martinez 2013-2014 70 38 32 - 42 25 17 - 2015-2016 70 33 37 - 42 24 18 - 2017-2018 70 38 32 - 42 26 16 -2019-2020 70 46 24 -42 26 16 -Michelle Lujan Grisham2021-2022 70 44 24 242 27 15 -

See also New Mexico Territorial Legislature Timeline of New Mexico history

Notes

References

External links

New Mexico Legislature official website