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New Mexico Public Regulation Commission
| New Mexico Public Regulation Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $90,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $14,209,200 |
| Total Seats: | 3 |
| Term limits: | Two consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | New Mexico Constitution, Article XI, Section I |
| Selection Method: | Appointed |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Gabriel Aguilera, Greg Nibert, Patrick O’Connell | |
| Other New Mexico Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Public Lands • Secretary of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Superintendent • Secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources • Secretary of Workforce Solutions • Public Regulation Commission • Public Education Commission | |
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is an appointed three-member board in the New Mexico state government. The commission is responsible for the regulation of utilities, telecommunications, and motor carrier industries.[1]
Prior to January 1, 2023, five commissioners were elected to staggered four-year terms which began on January 1 following their election. Beginning January 1, 2023, the commission lost two seats and became a three-member board with members appointed to six-year terms.[2]
Current officeholders
| Office | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Public Regulation Commission | Gabriel Aguilera | Nonpartisan |
| New Mexico Public Regulation Commission | Greg Nibert | Nonpartisan |
| New Mexico Public Regulation Commission | Patrick O’Connell | Nonpartisan |
Authority
The Public Regulation Commission's creation and authority is derived from Article XI of the New Mexico Constitution.
Article XI, Section 1-2:
| Beginning January 1, 2023, the commission shall consist of three members. ... The public regulation commission shall have responsibility for regulating public utilities as provided by law. The public regulation commission may have responsibility for regulation of other public service companies in such manner as the legislature shall provide.[2] |
Qualifications
In addition to the general eligibility requirements to hold public office in New Mexico, Chapter 8, Article 8 of the New Mexico Statutes establishes the qualifications of the office:
A. In addition to other requirements imposed by law, in order to be elected or appointed as a commissioner, a person must be qualified for office by:
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The New Mexico Statutes further require that commissioners must complete an ethics certificate course through a New Mexico public post-secondary educational institution once a year beginning within his or her first year after taking office. Commissioners must also complete at least 32 hours of continuing education relevant to the work of the commission once a year. If a commissioner fails to comply with these education requirements, he or she will have compensation withheld until the requirements are met.[4]
Appointments
As outlined in Article XI of the New Mexico Constitution:
"The governor shall nominate members from a list of qualified nominees submitted to the governor by the public regulation commission nominating committee, as provided by law, and by and with the consent of the senate shall appoint members to fill positions and vacancies on the commission; provided that no more than two commissioners shall be members of the same political party."[2]
Term limits
"Members so appointed shall serve six-year staggered terms; provided that, after serving two consecutive six-year terms, members shall be ineligible to hold office as commissioner until one full term has intervened."[2]
Past elections
Prior to January 3, 2023, and as outlined in Article XI of the New Mexico Constitution, commissioners were elected to staggered four-year terms beginning January 1 following their election.[2]
Democratic primary candidates
Republican primary candidates
Vacancies
As outlined in Article XI of the New Mexico Constitution:
"The governor shall nominate members from a list of qualified nominees submitted to the governor by the public regulation commission nominating committee, as provided by law, and by and with the consent of the senate shall appoint members to fill positions and vacancies on the commission; provided that no more than two commissioners shall be members of the same political party. ... A person appointed to fill a vacancy on the commission shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term."[2]
Duties
The Public Regulation Commission regulates public utilities as provided by law. The commission may have responsibility for regulation of other public service companies in such manner as the legislature shall provide.[2] Duties of the Public Regulation Commission include, but are not limited to:[8]
- Preparing an annual budget to submit to the legislature;
- Adopting rules to streamline cases appearing before it by the taking of evidence, use of hearing examiners, and adopting procedures for resolving cases in non-trial-type manners, when appropriate; and
- Providing a toll-free, published telephone number in local directories.
Divisions
Chapter 8, Article 8 of the New Mexico Statutes requires that the Public Regulation Commission include the following divisions:[9]
- Administrative Services
- Consumer Relations
- Legal
- Transportation
- Utility
State budget
- See also: New Mexico state budget and finances
The budget for the Public Regulation Commission in Fiscal Year 2025 was $14,209,200.[10]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[20]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[21]
2010
In 2010, each commissioner received a salary of $90,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[22]
Noteworthy events
Resignation of Commissioner Jerome Block
In 2011, Commissioner Jerome Block resigned from the Public Regulation Commission as part of a plea agreement stemming from his fraudulent usage of a state-issued credit card. An investigation in August 2011 found a series of allegedly fraudulent charges made to Commissioner Jerome Block's state-issued gas card, totaling over $8,000 during the first six months of the year.[23] Block had been serving as vice-chair of the commission at that time. He was removed from the vice-chair position on August 12, 2011.[24] Block plead guilty to fraudulent use of the credit card, embezzlement, and election law violations and was sentenced to probation in 2012, after leaving the commission.[25]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Public Regulation Commission:
P.O. Box 1269
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504
Phone: 1-888-427-5772
Email: Stephen.Fischmann@state.nm.us
See also
| New Mexico | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, "About Us," accessed January 5, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State, "New Mexico Constitution," accessed January 5, 2023
- ↑ Justia, "NM Stat § 8-8-3.1 (2021)," accessed January 5, 2023
- ↑ Justia, "NM Stat § 8-8-3.2 (2021)," accessed January 5, 2023
- ↑ "Election results, 2014," accessed Sept. 10, 2015
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "General Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Unofficial primary election results," accessed June 6, 2012
- ↑ Justia, "NM Stat § 8-8-4 (2021)," accessed January 6, 2023
- ↑ Justia, "NM Stat § 8-8-6 (2021)," accessed January 6, 2023
- ↑ New Mexico State Legislature, "New Mexico General Appropriation Act of 2024," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 22, 2011
- ↑ KOB, "Commissioner's gas card account used to rip off state," August 5, 2011
- ↑ KRQE, "PRC strips title from vice-chair Block," August 12, 2011
- ↑ The Albuquerque Journal, "Former PRC commissioner Jerome Block back in jail," Feb. 11, 2014
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