This bill amends existing laws regarding the procedures for filling vacancies in the offices of Representative and Senator in New Mexico. It establishes new eligibility requirements, defining an "eligible individual" as someone who is registered to vote and resides in the relevant district, having maintained continuous residency since the last general election proclamation. The bill outlines specific procedures for boards of county commissioners to follow when appointing replacements, including the requirement to solicit applications from eligible individuals, announce a public meeting within two business days, and hold the meeting within three weeks to vote on the appointment. If a vacancy occurs during a legislative session, the appointment must be made within five business days.

Additionally, the bill specifies that appointments to fill vacancies will be for terms ending on December 31 after the next general election, and it mandates that by January 1, 2026, each board of county commissioners must adopt a procedure for future appointments, which includes ranking candidates. The bill also clarifies that vacancies will be filled based on the districts as defined in the 2021 Redistricting Acts for both the House and Senate. The effective date for these provisions is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 2-7F-4, 2-8F-4