A. The "Martin Luther King, Jr. commission" is created. The purpose of the commission is to develop, promote, coordinate and review statewide plans and activities for the annual commemoration and celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. in accordance with Section 12-5-2 NMSA 1978.

B. As used in Sections 1 through 4 of this act [28-19-1 to 28-19-4 NMSA 1978], "commission" means the Martin Luther King, Jr. commission.

C. The commission shall be comprised of thirteen members as follows:

(1) four members appointed by the governor;

(2) one member appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate;

(3) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate;

(4) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(5) one member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;

(6) the state treasurer or his designee;

(7) the secretary of state or his designee;

(8) a native American appointed by the New Mexico office of Indian affairs [Indian affairs department];

(9) the director of the human rights division of the labor department or his designee; and

(10) the chairman of the New Mexico state corporation commission [public regulation commission] or his designee.

D. Members of the commission shall be appointed initially for terms as follows: seven members shall be appointed for terms of two years and six members shall be appointed for terms of four years. The initial terms shall be selected by random drawing. After the expiration of the initial terms, all members shall be appointed for four-year terms. The initial commission shall be appointed within forty-five days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies resulting from the death or resignation of a member shall be filled by appointment by the commission chairman for the unexpired portion of the term of the member creating the vacancy. In filling any vacancy, the commission chairman may accept recommendations from the person who originally appointed the member creating the vacancy.

E. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their service.

F. The members of the commission shall select a chairman from among the members of the commission.

G. The commission shall appoint an executive director to coordinate all activities on the commission's behalf.

History: Laws 1991, ch. 252, § 1.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Laws 1998, ch. 108, § 80 provided that references to the state corporation commission be construed as references to the public regulation commission.

Laws 2004, ch. 24, § 17 provided that statutory references to the New Mexico office of Indian affairs be changed to the Indian affairs department pursuant to an executive order issued in accordance with Laws 2003, Chapter 403.