To carry out the purpose of Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 and all other acts for like purpose, there is created a "state game commission" of seven members, not more than four of whom shall be of the same political party at the time of their appointment. The members of the commission shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The term of office for each member of the commission shall be four years. At the time of making the first appointments, the governor shall designate the commissioners' terms as being one, two, three or four years so that the term of no more than two commissioners shall expire each year.

In making appointments to the state game commission, one member shall be appointed from each of the following districts:

A. district one: Curry, De Baca, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, Eddy and Lea counties;

B. district two: Catron, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Dona Ana counties;

C. district three: San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Valencia, Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties;

D. district four: Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Quay, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Torrance counties; and

E. district five: Bernalillo county.

The remaining two members shall be appointed at-large. At least one member of the commission shall manage and operate a farm or ranch that contains at least two species of wildlife on that part which is deeded land requiring licensing prior to legal pursuit under the provisions of Section 17-3-2 NMSA 1978. At least one member shall have a demonstrated history of involvement in wildlife and habitat protection issues and whose activities or occupation are not in conflict with wildlife and habitat advocacy. The state game commission as provided in Chapter 17 NMSA 1978 shall have the same authority, powers and duties as now vested in the state game commission by law, and each member of the state game commission shall serve until his successor has been appointed and qualified.

History: Laws 1921, ch. 35, § 2; C.S. 1929, § 57-102; 1941 Comp., § 43-102; Laws 1945, ch. 26, § 1; 1953 Comp., § 53-1-2; Laws 1985, ch. 107, § 1; 1991, ch. 103, § 1.

The 1991 amendment, effective April 2, 1991, substituted "seven members" for "five members" and "four of whom" for "three of whom" in the first sentence; substituted "four years" for "five years" at the end of the third sentence; deleted "and five" preceding "years" and substituted "no more than two commissioners" for "one commissioner" and made a related stylistic change in the fourth sentence; and, following Subsection E, substituted the next three sentences for "provided that each existing member of the commission on the effective date of this 1985 act shall complete the term for which he was appointed, and, upon completion of such term, appointment shall be made in such manner so as to comply with the provisions of this section."

Appropriations. — Laws 2009, ch. 125, § 42, effective June 19, 2009, appropriated $200,000 from the game protection fund to the department of game and fish for expenditure in fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to purchase aircraft for aerial surveys.

Laws 2009, ch. 125, § 42, effective June 19, 2009, appropriated $500,000 from the game and fish bond retirement fund to the department of game and fish for expenditure in fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to purchase aircraft for aerial surveys.

Laws 2009, ch. 125, § 43, effective June 19, 2009, appropriated $250,000 from the habitat management fund to the department of game and fish for expenditure in fiscal year 2009 for construction and renovations to the Lake Roberts dam and spillway in Grant County.

A district judge may serve as a member of the state game commission. 1945 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 45-4735.