SB 244 — LEGAL SERVICES FOR LAND GRANTS & ACEQUIAS

SENATEAN BILLACT 244RELATING 54THTO LEGISLATURELEGAL -SERVICES; STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSIO, 2019 INTRODUCED BY Gerald Ortiz y Pino and Miguel P.

GarciaESTABLISHING 6A 8PROGRAM 10TO ANINCREASE ACTLEGAL RELATINGSERVICES TOFOR LEGALACEQUIAS, SERVICES;LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES AND LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF COLONIAS;

ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM TO INCREASE LEGAL SERVICES FOR ACEQUIAS, LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES AND LOW- INCOME RESIDENTS OF COLONIAS;

168 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

e t 17 SECTION 1.

[NEW MATERIAL ] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be w l n d 18 cited as the "Community Governance Attorney Act".

= = 19 SECTION 2.

[NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the a l i a e r 20 Community Governance Attorney Act:

a t m m 21 A.

"acequia" means a political subdivision d r e 22 organized pursuant to Chapter 73, Article 2 or 3 NMSA 1978;

c e s k 23 B.

"colonia" means a community as defined in the e a n b 24 Colonias Infrastructure Act;

u [ C.

"commission" means the community governance .212264.1 attorney commission;

"course of study" means a law student's legal SB 244 Page 1 education, including clinical and internship programs and preparation courses for the state bar examination;

"land grant-merced" means a political subdivision organized pursuant to Chapter 49, Article 1 or 4 e e 17 NMSA 1978;

e e n d 18 I.

"participant" means an individual who has = = l ] 19 applied to participate in, has been accepted into and has a l r i 20 signed a contract agreeing to the terms of the program;

t e a t J.

"program" means the community governance m m 21 e d r e 22 attorney and conditional tuition waiver program;

c e r c 23 K.

"secretary" means the secretary of higher e a n b 24 education;

u [ L.

"university" means the university of New Mexico .212264.1 - 2 - school of law;

[NEW MATERIAL ] COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE ATTORNEY AND CONDITIONAL TUITION WAIVER PROGRAM CREATED-- ADMINISTRATION--RULEMAKING SELECTION PROCESS--REPAYMENT.-- SB 244 Page 2 A.

provided that the maximum living stipend shall be based upon the availability of funds and information provided by the university regarding the current cost of e e 17 attendance at the university;

e e n d 18 (2) publicize the program to law students and = = l ] 19 to prospective law students;

a l r i 20 (3) collect and manage repayment from students t e a t who do not meet their obligations under the program;

and m m 21 e d r e 22 (4) solicit and accept funds for the program, c e r c 23 including grants and donations.

e a n b 24 B.

Participants shall enter the program in their u [ final year of law school.

The department shall select .212264.1 - 3 - participants according to rules it promulgates and, in consultation with the commission, shall create a standard process for law students to apply to participate in the program.

The department shall award no more than two new waivers a year, in addition to renewing existing waivers for eligible participants, subject to the availability of SB 244 Page 3 funding.

The contract shall include the following terms e e 17 for repayment of the waiver:

e e n d 18 (1) interest shall accrue upon termination of = = l ] 19 the participant's course of study at the following interest a l r i 20 rates:

t e a t (a) eighteen percent per year if the m m 21 e d r e 22 participant completes a course of study and no portion of the c e r c 23 principal and interest is forgiven pursuant to Subsection F of e a n b 24 this section;

and u [ (b) seven percent per year in all other .212264.1 - 4 - cases;

The contract shall provide that the department forgive fifty percent of a waiver for each year that a SB 244 Page 4 participant is employed full time as a community governance attorney with a salary of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per year.

[NEW MATERIAL ] COMMISSION--DUTIES.-- A.

and e e 17 (3) three members appointed by the governor;