A. The commission may:

(1) accept gifts, devises, grants and donations from others to carry out the provisions of the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Act;

(2) request assistance and staff support from the department;

(3) employ such personnel as necessary to carry out the provisions of the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Act;

(4) delegate responsibility for the administration and implementation of conservation projects, corps members' employment and supervision, project coordination and other program matters;

(5) establish work camps and long-term residential facilities to house corps members and their supervisors; and

(6) contact potential sponsors and funding sources for support.

B. The commission shall:

(1) adopt rules that are necessary for the proper administration of the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Act, including the outdoor equity grant program;

(2) administer and enforce the provisions of the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Act and rules adopted pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this subsection;

(3) develop and approve corps work projects, activities and contracts with project sponsors;

(4) administer the outdoor equity grant program;

(5) establish standards, procedures and policies for selecting, hiring, providing compensation for and other personnel matters involving corps members and other personnel;

(6) foster partnerships and cooperation between the corps and New Mexico's secondary and post-secondary schools to assist corps members in obtaining education and job training; and

(7) hire a program manager, who shall be the administrative officer of the corps.

History: Laws 1992, ch. 91, § 6; 2019, ch. 117, § 6.

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, required the New Mexico youth conservation corps commission to administer the outdoor equity grant program and to adopt rules for the proper administration of the outdoor equity grant program; in Subsection B, Paragraph B(1), after "adopt rules", deleted "and regulations", and after "Youth Conservation Corps Act", added "including the outdoor equity grant program", in Paragraph B(2), after "rules", deleted "and regulations", and added a new Paragraph B(4) and redesignated former Paragraphs B(4) through B(6) as Paragraphs B(5) through B(7), respectively.