2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 62 - Electric, Gas and Water Utilities › Article 18 - Energy Transition › Section 62-18-16 - Energy transition Indian affairs fund; energy transition economic development assistance fund; energy transition displaced worker assistance fund; community advisory committee.

A. The "energy transition Indian affairs fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the fund. Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the fund shall not revert or be transferred to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year.
B. The Indian affairs department shall administer the energy transition Indian affairs fund, and money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature only to that department to assist in addressing the conditions and issues of tribes and native peoples in the affected community.
C. The Indian affairs department shall develop an Indian affairs assistance plan to assist tribal and native people in the affected community that shall provide for the disbursement of money in the energy transition Indian affairs fund. In developing the plan, the Indian affairs department shall establish a public planning process in the affected community to inform the use of money in the fund. The Indian affairs department shall engage in consultation with Indian nations, tribes and pueblos in the affected community pursuant to the State-Tribal Collaboration Act [11-18-1 to 11-18-5 NMSA 1978]. The public planning process shall include at least three public meetings in the affected community. Expenditures from the fund shall be made after completion of the plan and as follows:
(1) to an entity approved by the Indian affairs department to receive funds for any program established at the Indian affairs department; and
(2) to tribal governments, public agencies or private persons to provide services and facilities in the affected community for promoting the welfare of Indian people.
D. The "energy transition economic development assistance fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the fund. Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the fund shall not revert or be transferred to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year.
E. The economic development department shall administer the energy transition economic development assistance fund, and money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature only to that department to assist in diversifying and promoting the affected community's economy by fostering economic development opportunities unrelated to fossil fuel development or use.
F. The economic development department shall develop an economic diversification and development plan to assist the affected community that shall provide for the disbursement of money in the energy transition economic development assistance fund. In developing the plan, the economic development department shall request recommendations from the affected community's community advisory committee pursuant to Subsection K of this section and establish a public input process in the affected community to inform the use of money in the fund. The economic development department shall engage in consultation with Indian nations, tribes and pueblos in the affected area pursuant to the State-Tribal Collaboration Act. The public input process shall include at least three public meetings in the affected community. Expenditures from the fund shall be made pursuant to the plan and as follows:
(1) to an entity approved by the economic development department to receive funds for any program established at the economic development department;
(2) to assist employers to qualify for any tax relief for hiring displaced workers established under state or federal law; and
(3) to a municipality, county, Indian nation, pueblo or tribe or land grant community in New Mexico for programs designed to promote economic development in the affected community.
G. The "energy transition displaced worker assistance fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the fund. Income from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the fund shall not revert or be transferred to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year.
H. The workforce solutions department shall administer the energy transition displaced worker assistance fund, and money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature only to that department to assist displaced workers in an affected community.
I. The workforce solutions department shall develop a displaced worker development plan to assist displaced workers in an affected community that shall provide for the disbursement of money in the energy transition displaced worker assistance fund. In developing the plan, the workforce solutions department shall request recommendations from the affected community's community advisory committee pursuant to Subsection K of this section and establish a public input process in the affected community to inform the use of money in the energy transition displaced worker assistance fund. The workforce solutions department shall engage in consultation with Indian nations, tribes and pueblos in the affected area pursuant to the State-Tribal Collaboration Act. The public input process shall include at least three public meetings in the affected community. Expenditures from the energy transition displaced worker assistance fund shall be made pursuant to the plan and as follows:
(1) to assist employers of displaced workers to qualify for any tax relief established under state or federal law;
(2) to the workforce solutions department:
(a) to provide assistance to displaced workers using any program established at that department; and
(b) for payment of costs associated with displaced workers enrolling and participating in certified apprenticeship programs in New Mexico; and
(3) to a municipality, county, Indian nation, pueblo or tribe or land grant community in New Mexico for job training and apprenticeship programs for displaced workers or for programs designed to promote economic development in the affected community.
J. Within thirty days of receipt of energy transition bond proceeds, a qualifying generating facility located in New Mexico shall transfer the following percentages of the financed amount of energy transition bonds as follows:
(1) one-half percent to the Indian affairs department for deposit in the energy transition Indian affairs fund;
(2) one and sixty-five hundredths percent to the economic development department for deposit in the energy transition economic development assistance fund; and
(3) three and thirty-five hundredths percent to the workforce solutions department for deposit in the energy transition displaced worker assistance fund.
K. In each affected community, a community advisory committee shall be convened. All meetings of the community advisory committee shall be held pursuant to the Open Meetings Act [Chapter 10, Article 15 NMSA 1978]. The secretaries of Indian affairs, economic development and workforce solutions shall appoint three conveners who reside in the affected community, at least one from each major political party and one representing one of the Navajo Nation chapter houses in the affected community. The conveners shall appoint members of the community advisory committee to include a member from each municipality, county, Indian nation, pueblo, tribe and land grant community, if any, in the affected community, at least four appointees representing diverse economic and cultural perspectives of the affected community and one appointee representing displaced workers in the affected community. Within sixty days of a request by the economic development department pursuant to Subsection F of this section, or the workforce solutions department pursuant to Subsection I of this section, a community advisory committee shall provide recommendations to the requesting department on the use of available funds intended for the affected community.
L. As used in this section:
(1) "affected community" means a New Mexico county located within one hundred miles of a New Mexico facility producing electricity that closes, resulting in at least forty displaced workers; and
(2) "displaced worker" means a New Mexico resident who:
(a) was terminated from employment, or whose contract was terminated, due to the abandonment of a New Mexico facility producing electricity that resulted in the displacement of at least forty workers; and
(b) meets any other eligibility criteria established by the workforce solutions department.
History:
Laws 2019, ch. 65, § 16; 2023, ch. 81, § 1.
ANNOTATIONS
The 2023 amendment,
effective March 30, 2023, rewrote the definition of "displaced worker" as used in this section; and in Subsection L, Paragraph L(2), deleted former Subparagraphs L(2)(a) through L(2)(d) and added new Subparagraphs L(2)(a) and L(2)(b).