Governor signs first batch of bills since session ended

Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation to make the state’s tax agency friendlier, broaden the work of the Children’s Trust Fund and allow Doña Ana County magistrates to run for re-election even though they’re not lawyers.

The bills are part of the first batch signed by the Republican governor since the 60-day legislative session ended Saturday.

According to her office, she signed them after she returned late Wednesday from Rome, where she attended the inauguration of Pope Francis. Martinez left Thursday for Utah, for a Republican Governors Association meeting and the Lobos’ NCAA tournament game.

Martinez said in a statement the bill that updates the law governing the Taxation and Revenue Department is “a good example of state government recognizing its own shortcomings and taking proactive steps to fix them.”

House Bill 299, sponsored by Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, clarifies existing law, simplifies procedures and gives taxpayers more time to comply with certain requirements.

For example, taxpayers will have 180 days – up from the current 90 days – to file amended returns because of Internal Revenue Service actions. And they’ll have 90 days – up from 30 – to protest an assessment.

According to the Governor’s Office, the department initiated the legislation after the state got a D grade from the Council on State Taxation for its administration and appeals processes.

Senate Bill 297, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, changes the Children’s Trust Fund Act, broadening its purpose to include advocacy and education about preventing child abuse and neglect.

It also expands the board’s membership from nine to 13 and authorizes the fund to accept federal money and private donations and grants for children’s projects.

House Bill 151, sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, solves a problem that occurred because Doña Ana County’s population surpassed 200,000 in the last census, bringing it under a state law that requires magistrates to be lawyers. Only two of the six current magistrates are attorneys, and the bill’s supporters said the high-volume court would have a difficult transition if it had four new members next year. The new law allows the non-lawyer magistrates to hold the office again as long as there is no break in their service.

Martinez also signed bills that:

♦ Appropriate $2 million from the Public Project Revolving Fund to the Local Government Planning Fund to pay for planning, including for water infrastructure and conservation projects (Senate Bill 54).

♦ Update the New Mexico Commercial Feed Act (Senate Bill 91).

♦ Authorize the New Mexico Finance Authority to make loans or grants for more than 70 water and acequia projects (Senate Bill 228).
— This article appeared on page C2 of the Albuquerque Journal