A. The “connect New Mexico council” is created and administratively attached to the department.

Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 63-9K-3

  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

B. The council is composed of the following fifteen members:

(1)     the secretary of transportation or the secretary’s designee;

(2)     the secretary of economic development or the secretary’s designee; (3)     the secretary of cultural affairs or the secretary’s designee;

(4)     the secretary of information technology or the secretary’s designee;

(5)     the executive director of the New Mexico mortgage finance authority or the executive director’s designee;

(6)     the secretary of higher education or the secretary’s designee;

(7)     the director of the public school facilities authority or the director’s designee;

(8)     five members of the public who have experience with broadband access and connectivity challenges for either private business or public institutions, appointed as follows:

(a) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (b) one member appointed by the minority floor leader of the house of representatives;

(c) one member appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate; (d) one member appointed by the minority floor leader of the senate; and (e) one member appointed by the governor; and

(9) three members appointed by the secretary of Indian affairs: one representative of the Navajo Nation, one representative of Apache tribal governments and one representative of Indian pueblo tribal governments, who are experienced with broadband access and connectivity issues.

C. The chair of the council shall be elected by a quorum of the council members. The council shall meet monthly or at the call of the chair. A majority of members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. The affirmative vote of at least a majority of a quorum present shall be necessary for an action to be taken by the council.

D. Each member of the council appointed pursuant to Paragraph (8) or (9) of Subsection B of this section shall be appointed to a four-year term; provided that to provide for staggered terms:

(1)     two of the members initially appointed pursuant to Paragraph (8) of Subsection B of this section shall be appointed for a term of two years by lot; and

(2)     one member initially appointed pursuant to Paragraph (9) of Subsection B of this section shall be initially appointed for a term of two years by lot.

E. Public members of the council shall be reimbursed for attending meetings of the council as provided for nonsalaried public officers in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

F. Public members of the council are appointed public officials of the state while carrying out their duties and activities under the Connect New Mexico Act.

G. Council members shall be governed by the Governmental Conduct Act [N.M. Stat. Ann. Chapter 10, Article 16].

H. The council shall be staffed by the department.

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