New Mexico Legislature

The New Mexico Legislature (Template:Langx) 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

Template:Expand section The New Mexico Legislature was established when New Mexico officially became a state and was admitted to the union in 1912. In 1922, Bertha M. Paxton became the first woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature, serving one term in the House of Representatives.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Term limits

Currently, there are no term limits for legislators. The longest current member of the legislature has served since 1972.Template:Cn House members are elected every two years, while Senate members are elected every four years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party summary

State Senate

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |
	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
End of previous legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 27	15	42	0
Jan 1, 2015 - Mar 14, 2015	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	17	42	0
Mar 14, 2015 - Apr 5, 2015	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	17	41	1
Apr 5, 2015 – Jan 17, 2017	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	18	42	0
Jan 17, 2017 – Jan 19, 2021	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 26	16	42	0
Jan 19, 2021 – present	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	15	42	0

House of Representatives

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total
	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |	style="background-color:Template:Party color" |
	Democratic	Ind	Republican		Vacant
51st legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic |38	0	32	70	0
52nd legislature	33	0	Template:Party shading/Republican |37	70	0
53rd legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic |38	0	32	70	0
54th legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic |46	1	23	70	0
55th legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic |43	2	24	69	1
56th legislature	Template:Party shading/Democratic |45	0	25	70	0

History

Session<ref name=Sessions>Template:Citation</ref>	Years		House					Senate					Governor
		Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others	Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others
Template:Ill	1912–1914	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 16	Template:Party shading/Republican | 30	3	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 7	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	1	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | William W. McDonald
Template:Ill	1915-1916	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 14	Template:Party shading/Republican | 33	2	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 7	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	1
Template:Ill	1917-1918	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 19	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 30	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 10	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 14	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca
		Template:Party shading/Republican | Washington E. Lindsey
Template:Ill	1919-1920	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 15	Template:Party shading/Republican | 34	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 9	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | Octaviano Larrazolo
Template:Ill	1921-1922	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 15	Template:Party shading/Republican | 34	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 9	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | Merritt C. Mechem
Template:Ill	1923-1924	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 33	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 9	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | James F. Hinkle
Template:Ill	1925-1926	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 11	Template:Party shading/Republican | 13	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Arthur T. Hannett
Template:Ill	1927-1928	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 18	Template:Party shading/Republican | 31	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 11	Template:Party shading/Republican | 13	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | Richard C. Dillon
Template:Ill	1929-1930	Template:Party shading/Republican | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 12	Template:Party shading/Republican | 37	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 6	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18
Template:Ill	1931-1932	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 8	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | Arthur Seligman
Template:Ill	1933-1934	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 41	Template:Party shading/Republican | 8	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 20	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 4	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 7	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Andrew W. Hockenhull
Template:Ill	1935-1936	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 38	Template:Party shading/Republican | 12	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 18	Template:Party shading/Republican | 6	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | Clyde Tingley
Template:Ill	1937-1938	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 47	Template:Party shading/Republican | 2	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 23	Template:Party shading/Republican | 1	-
Template:Ill	1939-1940	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 7	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 23	Template:Party shading/Republican | 1	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | John E. Miles
Template:Ill	1941-1942	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 40	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 21	Template:Party shading/Republican | 3	-
Template:Ill	1943-1944	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 33	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 21	Template:Party shading/Republican | 3	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | John J. Dempsey
Template:Ill	1945-1946	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 30	Template:Party shading/Republican | 19	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 18	Template:Party shading/Republican | 6	-
Template:Ill	1947-1948	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 30	Template:Party shading/Republican | 19	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 18	Template:Party shading/Republican | 6	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | Thomas J. Mabry
Template:Ill	1949-1950	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 36	Template:Party shading/Republican | 13	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 19	Template:Party shading/Republican | 5	-
Session	Years	House				Senate				Governor
		Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others	Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others
Template:Ill	1951-1952	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 55	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 46	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 18	Template:Party shading/Republican | 6	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | Edwin L. Mechem
Template:Ill	1953-1954	Template:Party shading/Republican | 55	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 28	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 31	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 22	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-
Template:Ill	1955-1956	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 55	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 51	Template:Party shading/Republican | 4	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 23	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | John F. Simms
Template:Ill	1957-1958	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 66	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 43	Template:Party shading/Republican | 23	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 8	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | Edwin L. Mechem
Template:Ill	1959-1960	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 66	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 60	Template:Party shading/Republican | 6	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 8	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | John Burroughs
Template:Ill	1961-1962	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 66	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 59	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 7	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 4	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | Edwin L. Mechem
		Template:Party shading/Republican | Tom Bolack
Template:Ill	1963-1964	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 66	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 55	Template:Party shading/Republican | 11	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican | 4	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | Jack M. Campbell
Template:Ill	1965-1966	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 77	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 59	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican | 4	-
Template:Ill	1967-1968	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 45	Template:Party shading/Republican | 25	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | David F. Cargo
Template:Ill	1969-1970	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 44	Template:Party shading/Republican | 26	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-
Template:Ill	1971-1972	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 48	Template:Party shading/Republican | 22	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 28	Template:Party shading/Republican | 14	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=3 | Bruce King
Template:Ill	1973-1974	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 51	Template:Party shading/Republican | 19	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 30	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 12	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 50	Template:Party shading/Republican | 20	-
Template:Ill	1975-1976	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 51	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 19	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 29	Template:Party shading/Republican | 13	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=3 | Jerry Apodaca
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 30	Template:Party shading/Republican | 12	-
Template:Ill	1977-1978	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 48	Template:Party shading/Republican | 22	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 33	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-
Template:Ill	1979-1980	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 41	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 29Template:Efn	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 33	Template:Party shading/Republican | 9	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=4 | Bruce King
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 32	Template:Party shading/Republican | 10	-
Template:Ill	1981-1982	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 41	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 29Template:Efn	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 22	Template:Party shading/Republican | 20	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 23	Template:Party shading/Republican | 19	-
Template:Ill	1983-1984	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 46	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 23	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 19	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=5 | Toney Anaya
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 47	Template:Party shading/Republican | 23	-
Template:Ill	1985-1986	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=3 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=3 | 43	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=3 | 27Template:Efn	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 21	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21Template:Efn	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 20	Template:Party shading/Republican | 22	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 20Template:Efn	Template:Party shading/Republican | 22
Template:Ill	1987-1988	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 47	Template:Party shading/Republican | 23	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 21Template:Efn	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=4 | Garrey Carruthers
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 46	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 21	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21Template:Efn
Template:Ill	1989-1990	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 45	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=2 | 25	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 26	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-
		Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-
Session	Years	House				Senate				Governor
		Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others	Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others
Template:Ill	1991-1992	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 49	Template:Party shading/Republican | 21	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 26	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=2 | Bruce King
Template:Ill	1993-1994	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 53	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-
Template:Ill	1995-1996	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 46	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=4 | Gary Johnson
Template:Ill	1997-1998	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 28	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-
Template:Ill	1999-2000	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 40	Template:Party shading/Republican | 30	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-
Template:Ill	2001-2002	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 28	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18Template:Efn	-
Template:Ill	2003-2004	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 43	Template:Party shading/Republican | 27	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic rowspan=4 | Bill Richardson
Template:Ill	2005-2006	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 28	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18	-
Template:Ill	2007-2008	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Republican | 28	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18	-
Template:Ill	2009-2010	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 45	Template:Party shading/Republican | 25	-	Template:Party shading/Republican | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15Template:Efn	-
Template:Ill	2011-2012	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 36	Template:Party shading/Republican | 33	1	Template:Party shading/Republican | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15Template:Efn	-	Template:Party shading/Republican rowspan=4 | Susana Martinez
Template:Ill	2013-2014	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 38	Template:Party shading/Republican | 32	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 25	Template:Party shading/Republican | 17	-
Template:Ill	2015-2016	Template:Party shading/Republican | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 33	Template:Party shading/Republican | 37	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 24	Template:Party shading/Republican | 18	-
Template:Ill	2017-2018	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 38	Template:Party shading/Republican | 32	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 26	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-
Template:Ill	2019-2020	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 46	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	-	Template:Party shading/Democratic |42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 26	Template:Party shading/Republican | 16	-	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic |Michelle Lujan Grisham
Template:Ill	2021-2022	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 70	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 44	Template:Party shading/Republican | 24	2	Template:Party shading/Democratic |42	Template:Party shading/Democratic | 27	Template:Party shading/Republican | 15	-
Session	Years	Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others	Total	Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democrats	Template:Party shading/Republican | Republicans	Others	Governor
		House				Senate

External links

• New Mexico Legislature official website