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Legislative Update February 12
The NMAA is closely following the legislative session. To see our bill tracking list or committee schedule for the week, click below:
Committee Schedule February 12-16
These are some of the highlights:
HB 230 (B. Lujan) Acequia Governance Education, Training, and Technical Assistance appropriates $500k to DFA Local Government Division. This has cleared its first committee and is on its way to the House Appropriations Committee. NMAA is working to get this funding in HB 2 which HAFC will review on February 19th and 20th.
HB 645 (B. Lujan) Acequia and Community Ditch Fund appropriates $575k to the ACDF. This will be heard in the House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee on Thursday, February 15th at 8:30am in Room 318.
HB 579 (Cervantes) Appointment of Water Masters by Majority changes language allowing the state engineer to appoint water masters for the public interest leaving only the language requiring a vote of the majority of water right owners in a district. This will be heard in House Agriculture and WAter Resources Committee on Tuesday, February 13th at 8:30am in Room 318.
SB 901 (Griego) Domestic Well Point of Diversion was introduced by Senator Phil Griego last week. This will clarify in state law that domestic well water rights are transferable to mutual domestic water consumer associations (MDWCAs).
SENATE BILLS 635 & 821 INTRODUCED TO BEGIN THE WATER RIGHTS ADJUDICATION PROCESS FOR THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE IN 2007!
February 12th, 2007 at 7:08 amThe New Mexico Acequia Association is lobbying our legislators to protect and defend our water rights from being forfeited due to abandonment. (see NMSA 72-5-28 at http://legis.state.nm.us)
Please call your senator today and tell them you support the South Valley Acequia’s plan to save our Pre-1907 water rights:
Senator Linda M. Lopez 1-505-986-4737
Senator James G. Taylor 1-505-986-4862
Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino 1-505-986-4380
Sen. Bernadette Sanchez 1-505-986-4267
please ask Senator Sisneros to help us and support the south valley acequias at the state engineer’s budget hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on tuesday at 1:30 pm - rm.320
February 12th, 2007 at 7:20 am