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 continuously since the last general election. The bill outlines the appointment process for filling vacancies, requiring boards of county commissioners 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 board must appoint a successor within five business days.

Additionally, the bill mandates that by January 1, 2026, each board of county commissioners must adopt a procedure for future appointments, which includes ranking candidates. It specifies that appointments will be made from districts as defined in the 2021 Redistricting Acts, with terms ending on December 31 following the next general election. The effective date for these provisions is set for July 1, 2025.

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