HOUSE BILL 40

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

Pamelya Herndon and Dayan Hochman-Vigil

 

 

 

FOR THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE REVENUE SUBCOMMITTEE

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION; CREATING AN INTRASTATE AIRLINE TASK FORCE; PROVIDING DUTIES; REQUIRING A FINAL REPORT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--INTRASTATE AIRLINE TASK FORCE--CREATED--DUTIES--FINAL REPORT.--

          A. The "intrastate airline task force" is created and consists of:

                (1) one senator appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate and one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, to serve as co-chairs and convene the meetings of the task force;

                (2) the secretary of transportation or the secretary's designee;

                (3) the secretary of tourism or the secretary's designee;

                (4) the secretary of economic development or the secretary's designee;

                (5) the secretary of Indian affairs or the secretary's designee;

                (6) the director of the office on African American affairs or the director's designee;

                (7) the chief economist of the legislative finance committee or the chief economist's designee;

                (8) the senior economist of the economic development department or the senior economist's designee;

                (9) the chief executive officers of the chambers of commerce of Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Gallup, Hobbs and Clovis or the chief executive officers' designees; and

                (10) five public members, one each from Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Gallup, Hobbs and Clovis, who each have at least ten years of experience related to aviation, airlines, transportation or economics, to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, minority floor leader of the senate and minority floor leader of the house of representatives.

          B. Appointments to the intrastate airline task force shall be made by May 16, 2024 and shall function from the date of appointment until December 31, 2024. The task force shall meet at the call of a co-chair or at the request of one-third of its membership, and as necessary to carry out its duties, but not less than once and no more than three times per month. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and the support of a majority of the members is required for adoption of any action.

          C. The intrastate airline task force shall study and provide recommendations on establishing an intrastate airline transportation system to provide regular and consistent flights between the cities of Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Hobbs, Clovis and Gallup, including: 

                (1) the projected demand over the next fifteen years, considering population density and trends, existing transportation options and business and tourism activity;

                (2) the necessary and optimal routes, flight frequency, number of aircraft and types of aircraft to meet projected demand;

                (3) the projected profitability of an airline that would service the flights;

                (4) the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and benefits of the airline being privately owned, publicly owned or operated via a public-private partnership;

                (5) necessary new infrastructure and modifications to existing infrastructure;

                (6) the costs, revenue and benefits to the state for both a privately and publicly owned airline;

                (7) federal law regulations with which an intrastate airline transportation system would need to comply; and

                (8) any other actions required by the state to facilitate the success of the intrastate airline transportation system, including policy or legislative changes and potential incentives to attract a private business to operate it.

          D. The intrastate airline task force shall by December 1, 2024 report its findings, recommendations and any proposed legislation to the legislative finance committee, the interim committee that studies economic and rural development and policy, the interim committee that studies transportation and any other appropriate legislative interim committees.

          E. The intrastate airline task force may contract with economists, consultants and other experts to assist the task force in carrying out the provisions of this section.

          F. Members of the intrastate airline task force are entitled to receive per diem and mileage as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          G. The economic development department shall provide the necessary staff and administrative support to the intrastate airline task force.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the economic development department for expenditure in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for the purposes of the intrastate airline task force. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2025 shall revert to the general fund.

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