2011 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 9: Executive Department
Article 8: Human Services Department, 9-8-1 through 9-8-14
Section 9-8-6: Secretary; duties and general powers.

9-8-6. Secretary; duties and general powers.

A. The secretary is responsible to the governor for the operation of the department. It is his duty to manage all operations of the department and to administer and enforce the laws with which he or the department is charged.

B. To perform his duties, the secretary has every power expressly enumerated in the laws, whether granted to the secretary or the department or any division of the department, except where authority conferred upon any division is explicitly exempted from the secretary's authority by statute. In accordance with these provisions, the secretary shall:

(1) except as otherwise provided in the Human Services Department Act, exercise general supervisory and appointing authority over all department employees, subject to any applicable personnel laws and regulations;

(2) delegate authority to subordinates as he deems necessary and appropriate, clearly delineating such delegated authority and the limitations thereto;

(3) organize the department into those organizational units he deems will enable it to function most efficiently, subject to any provisions of law requiring or establishing specific organizational units;

(4) within the limitations of available appropriations and applicable laws, employ and fix the compensation of those persons necessary to discharge his duties;

(5) take administrative action by issuing orders and instructions, not inconsistent with the law, to assure implementation of and compliance with the provisions of law for whose administration or execution he is responsible and to enforce those orders and instructions by appropriate administrative action in the courts;

(6) conduct research and studies that will improve the operations of the department and the provision of services to the citizens of the state;

(7) provide courses of instruction and practical training for employees of the department and other persons involved in the administration of programs with the objective of improving the operations and efficiency of administration;

(8) prepare an annual budget of the department;

(9) provide cooperation, at the request of heads of administratively attached agencies, in order to:

(a) minimize or eliminate duplication of services and jurisdictional conflicts;

(b) coordinate activities and resolve problems of mutual concern; and

(c) resolve by agreement the manner and extent to which the department shall provide budgeting, record-keeping and related clerical assistance to administratively attached agencies;

(10) appoint, with the governor's consent, a "director" for each division. These appointed positions are exempt from the provisions of the Personnel Act [10-9-1 NMSA 1978]. Persons appointed to these positions shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary, except as provided in Section 9-8-9 NMSA 1978;

(11) give bond in the penal sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and require directors to each give bond in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) conditioned upon the faithful performance of duties as provided in the Surety Bond Act [10-2-13 to 10-2-16 NMSA 1978]. The department shall pay the costs of these bonds; and

(12) require performance bonds of such department employees and officers as he deems necessary as provided in the Surety Bond Act. The department shall pay the costs of these bonds.

C. The secretary may apply for and receive, with the governor's approval, in the name of the department, any public or private funds, including United States government funds, available to the department to carry out its programs, duties or services.

D. Where functions of departments overlap or a function assigned to one department could better be performed by another department, the secretary may recommend appropriate legislation to the next session of the legislature for its approval.

E. The secretary may make and adopt such reasonable and procedural rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the department and its divisions. No rule or regulation promulgated by the director of any division in carrying out the functions and duties of the division shall be effective until approved by the secretary unless otherwise provided by statute. Unless otherwise provided by statute, no regulation affecting any person or agency outside the department shall be adopted, amended or repealed without a public hearing on the proposed action before the secretary or a hearing officer designated by him. The public hearing shall be held in Santa Fe unless otherwise permitted by statute. Notice of the subject matter of the regulation, the action proposed to be taken, the time and place of the hearing, the manner in which interested persons may present their views and the method by which copies of the proposed regulation, proposed amendment or repeal of an existing regulation may be obtained shall be published once at least thirty days prior to the hearing date in a newspaper of general circulation and mailed at least thirty days prior to the hearing date to all persons who have made a written request for advance notice of hearing.

F. In the event the secretary anticipates that adoption, amendment or repeal of a rule or regulation will be required by a cancellation, reduction or suspension of federal funds or order by a court of competent jurisdiction:

(1) if the secretary is notified by appropriate federal authorities at least sixty days prior to the effective date of such cancellation, reduction or termination of federal funds, the department is required to promulgate regulations through the public hearing process to be effective on the date mandated by the appropriate federal authority; or

(2) if the secretary is notified by appropriate federal authorities or court less than sixty days prior to the effective date of such cancellation, reduction or suspension of federal funds or court order, the department is authorized without a public hearing to promulgate interim rules or regulations effective for a period not to exceed ninety days. Interim regulations shall not be promulgated without first providing a written notice twenty days in advance to providers of medical or behavioral health services and beneficiaries of department programs. At the time of the promulgation of the interim rules or regulations, the department shall give notice of the public hearing on the final rules or regulations in accordance with Subsection E of this section.

G. If the secretary certifies to the secretary of finance and administration and gives contemporaneous notice of such certification through the human services register that the department has insufficient state funds to operate any of the programs it administers and that reductions in services or benefit levels are necessary, the secretary may engage in interim rulemaking. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the State Rules Act [14-4-1 NMSA 1978], interim rulemaking shall be conducted pursuant to Subsection E of this section, except:

(1) the period of notice of public hearing shall be fifteen days;

(2) the department shall also send individual notices of the interim rulemaking and of the public hearing to affected providers and beneficiaries;

(3) rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be in effect not less than five days after the public hearing;

(4) rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall not be in effect for more than ninety days; and

(5) if final rules and regulations are necessary to replace the interim rules and regulations, the department shall give notice of intent to promulgate final rules and regulations at the time of notice herein. The final rules and regulations shall be promulgated not more than forty-five days after the public hearing and filed in accordance with the State Rules Act.

H. At the time of the promulgation of the interim rules or regulations, the department shall give notice of the public hearing on the final rules or regulations in accordance with Subsection E of this section.

I. The secretary shall ensure that any behavioral health services, including mental health and substance abuse services, provided, contracted for or approved are in compliance with the requirements of Section 9-7-6.4 NMSA 1978.

J. All rules and regulations shall be filed in accordance with the State Rules Act.