The director of the legislative council service shall recommend to the legislative council the appointment of such technical, clerical and stenographic assistants as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this act, and the legislative council, upon concurring in such appointments, shall fix the compensation of each employee within the appropriations made by the legislature for the use of the legislative council. Such employees shall be appointed without regard to party affiliation and solely on ground of fitness to perform the duties of the position for which they are hired. For a period commencing approximately one month prior to each session and until approximately fifteen days after the final adjournment thereof, at any regular or special session, the director may employ, subject to the approval of the legislative council, at a compensation to be fixed by the council within its budget allowance, such extra stenographic and emergency assistants, including expert legal draftsmen qualified to aid the legislators in the preparation and drafting of bills for introduction into the legislature, as may be necessary to expeditiously handle the work of the council service immediately prior to, during and immediately after the legislative sessions.

History: 1941 Comp., § 2-406, enacted by Laws 1951, ch. 182, § 6; 1953 Comp., § 2-3-6; Laws 1955, ch. 286, § 5.

Compiler's notes. — The words "this act" in the middle of the first sentence refer to Laws 1951, ch. 182, which is compiled as 2-3-1 to 2-3-3, 2-3-8 and 2-3-11 to 2-3-16 NMSA 1978.

Cross references. — For director serving on commission for promotion of uniformity of legislation in the United States, see 2-4-1 NMSA 1978.

For provision making director the ex-officio secretary of the commission on intergovernmental cooperation, see 11-2-1 NMSA 1978.