In carrying out the provisions of Sections 22-14-24 through 22-14-29 NMSA 1978, the commission:

A. shall prescribe regulations governing:

(1) personnel standards;

(2) the protection of records and confidential information;

(3) eligibility for licensing of blind persons as vending stand operators;

(4) termination of licenses;

(5) the title to vending stand equipment and the interest in stocks of merchandise;

(6) procedures for fair hearings; and

(7) such other regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of Sections 22-14-24 through 22-14-29 NMSA 1978;

B. shall appoint such personnel as may be necessary for the administration of the vending stand program;

C. shall make surveys to find locations where vending stands may be properly and satisfactorily operated by blind persons and shall establish vending stands as it deems appropriate;

D. shall furnish each vending stand established with adequate suitable equipment, shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of the equipment and shall furnish each vending stand with an adequate initial stock of merchandise;

E. shall provide such management and supervisory services as are deemed necessary by the commission to assure that each vending stand will be operated in the most effective and productive manner possible;

F. shall cooperate with the United States department of education in the administration of the vending stand program on federal property and adopt such methods of operation and take such action as may be required to secure the full benefits of that program;

G. shall prepare and submit to the governor annual reports of activities and expenditures and, prior to each regular session of the legislature, estimates of sums required for carrying out the purpose of Sections 22-14-24 through 22-14-29 NMSA 1978 and estimates of the amounts to be made available for this purpose from all sources;

H. shall take such other action as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of Sections 22-14-24 through 22-14-29 NMSA 1978;

I. may enter into agreements with private nonprofit organizations for furnishing services to the vending stand program; provided that all such services and activities of the nonprofit organizations relating to the vending stand program shall be subject to the commission's supervision and control;

J. may, in its discretion, set aside funds from the operation of vending stands for such purposes as maintenance and replacement of equipment, the purchase of new equipment, the provision of management services, guaranteeing a fair minimum return to all vending stand operators and such other purposes as it may determine appropriate and which are not inconsistent with federal laws and regulations relating to the "setting aside of funds"; provided that in no case shall the amount set aside from any vending stand exceed a reasonable sum in relation to the net profit to the operator of the stand in the opinion of the executive officer of the agency; and

K. may accept gifts and donations made unconditionally, or subject to such conditions as it may determine appropriate, for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of Sections 22-14-24 through 22-14-29 NMSA 1978 and may use, hold, invest or reinvest such gifts for those purposes.

History: 1953 Comp., § 59-12-4, enacted by Laws 1957, ch. 180, § 4; 1978 Comp., § 28-9-5, recompiled as § 22-14-28 by Laws 1983, ch. 60, § 3; 1986, ch. 108, § 13.

Broad powers granted. — In order that the division (now the commission) be able to achieve the statutory ends, the legislature granted it broad powers. 1964 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 64-77.