A. There is created the "commission for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons", consisting of seven members, a majority of whom are deaf or hard-of-hearing persons, including three ex-officio members and four members appointed by the governor without regard for party affiliation, with the advice and consent of the senate. Terms of appointed members shall be for six years, expiring on December 31 of odd-numbered years, in accordance with the staggered terms of the appointed members holding office on the effective date of this 1999 amendment.

B. Ex-officio members are:

(1) the president of the New Mexico association for the deaf or his designee;

(2) the superintendent of the New Mexico school for the deaf or his designee; and

(3) the director of the vocational rehabilitation division of the state department of public education or his designee who shall be knowledgeable in the area of deafness.

C. Appointed members are:

(1) a parent of a deaf or hard-of-hearing child;

(2) a professional person who is deaf or hard of hearing;

(3) a deaf or hard-of-hearing person who resides in southern New Mexico; and

(4) a deaf or hard-of-hearing person who resides in northern New Mexico.

D. A majority of the members of the commission for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons constitutes a quorum for transaction of business. The commission shall elect a chairman from its membership.

E. Members of the commission for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons shall be compensated as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act [10-8-1 to 10-8-8 NMSA 1978] and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

F. Commission members who are serving upon the effective date of this 1999 act shall serve out the terms to which they were appointed.

History: Laws 1991, ch. 72, § 1; 1999, ch. 72, § 1.

The 1999 amendment, effective June 18, 1999, in Subsection A, inserted "including three ex-officio members and four members" in the first sentence, deleted the former second sentence, which read "Initially, three members shall be appointed for terms ending December 31, 1993, two members for terms ending December 31, 1995 and two members for terms ending December 31, 1997", in the second sentence, substituted "Terms of appointed members" for "Thereafter, appointments" and added the language beginning "in accordance" to the end; in Subsection B, substituted "Ex-officio members are" for "Appointments shall include" in the introductory language, deleted former Paragraph (3) which read, "a parent of a deaf or hard-of-hearing child", redesignated former Paragraph (4) as Paragraph (3); added the Subsection C designation, the introductory language, and Paragraph C(1); redesignated former Paragraphs B(5) through B(7) as Paragraphs C(2) through C(4); redesignated former Subsections C and D as Subsections D and E; added Subsection F; and made minor stylistic changes.