New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has called for the Legislature to begin a special session on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.

The purpose of the special session is to address redistricting and a number of the governor’s economic development proposals.

Photo of Governor Susana Martinez by The State of New Mexico on Wikipedia.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has signed two executive orders that seek to improve the procurement process in New Mexico.

Executive Order 2011-030 authorizes the suspension or debarment of businesses for conviction of fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification, destruction of records, receiving stolen property, antitrust violations, willful failure to perform in accordance with contracts, and any other cause occurring within the preceding three years of a procurement which the state purchasing agent or a central purchasing office determines to be so serious and compelling as to affect responsibility as a contractor.

Executive Order 2011-031 created the Governor’s Task Force on Procurement Reform to review and update the current statutory and regulatory Procurement Code and to increase transparency and efficiency in the procurement process.

Governor Martinez has signed Senate Bill 432 prohibiting state and local government employees who are involved in the contracting process from subsequently being employed by a contractor. The bill expands the existing Governmental Conduct Act to apply to state and local government employees involved in the procurement process.

Under the new law, state agencies are barred from entering into contracts with a business represented by a person who has been an employee of the state within one year if the value of the contract is in excess of $1,000 and the contract is a direct result of an official act by the former employee. The law becomes effective July 1, 2011.