2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 6 - Department of Finance and Administration
Section 9-6-5.2 - Failure to timely submit audit reports or financial reports; enforcement powers of secretary.

A. Upon notification by the state auditor pursuant to Subsection G of Section 12-6-3 NMSA 1978 that a state agency, state institution, municipality or county has failed to submit an audit report as required by the Audit Act [12-6-1 to 12-6-14 NMSA 1978], the secretary of finance and administration shall order the agency, institution, municipality or county to submit monthly financial reports to the department of finance and administration until all past-due audit reports have been submitted to the state auditor and the secretary is satisfied that the agency, institution, municipality or county is in compliance with all financial and audit requirements.
B. If, ninety days after an order has been issued pursuant to Subsection A of this section to a state agency or state institution subject to periodic allotments, the agency or institution has not submitted all past-due reports or has not otherwise made progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act, the secretary may direct the state budget division to temporarily withhold periodic allotments to the agency or institution pursuant to Section 6-3-6 NMSA 1978. The amounts withheld and the period of time for which the allotments are to be withheld shall be determined by the secretary subject to the following guidelines:
(1) the initial amount withheld shall not exceed five percent of the allotment and shall be for a period of no more than three months;
(2) every three months, the secretary shall determine if the agency or institution has submitted all past-due audit reports or has otherwise made progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act. If the secretary determines that past-due reports have not been submitted and that there has been inadequate progress, the secretary may direct that the amount being currently withheld be increased by an additional amount, up to another five percent of the allotment, for an additional period of up to three months; and
(3) upon a determination that all past-due audit reports have been submitted or that the agency or institution is otherwise making progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act, the secretary shall direct that all withheld amounts be distributed to the agency or institution and that future allotments shall be made in full.
C. If, ninety days after an order has been issued pursuant to Subsection A of this section to a municipality or county, the municipality or county has not submitted all past-due reports or has not otherwise made progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act, the secretary may direct the secretary of taxation and revenue to temporarily withhold distributions to the municipality or county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.15 NMSA 1978. The amounts withheld, the source of the amounts and the period of time for which the distributions are to be withheld shall be determined by the secretary of finance and administration subject to the following guidelines:
(1) transfers to a county or municipality of receipts from any local option gross receipts tax or from a tax imposed pursuant to the Local Liquor Excise Tax Act [7-24-8 to 7-24-16 NMSA 1978] shall not be withheld;
(2) the source and amount of a withheld distribution shall be determined in a manner that will not:
(a) impair any outstanding bonds or other obligations of the municipality or county; or
(b) interrupt a redirected distribution to the New Mexico finance authority pursuant to an ordinance or a resolution passed by the county or municipality and a written agreement of the municipality or county and the New Mexico finance authority;
(3) the initial amount withheld shall not exceed five percent of the amount that would otherwise be distributed to the municipality or county pursuant to the Tax Administration Act [Chapter 7, Article 1 NMSA 1978] and shall be for a period of no more than three months;
(4) every three months, the secretary of finance and administration shall determine if the municipality or county has submitted all past-due audit reports or has otherwise made progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act. If the secretary determines that past-due reports have not been submitted and that there has been inadequate progress, the secretary may direct that the amount being currently withheld be increased by an additional amount, up to another five percent of the amount that would otherwise be distributed, for an additional period of up to three months; and
(5) upon a determination that all past-due audit reports have been submitted or that the municipality or county is otherwise making progress, satisfactory to the state auditor, toward compliance with the Audit Act, the secretary shall direct that all withheld amounts be distributed to the municipality or county and that future distributions shall be made in full.
D. After receiving notice from the local government division of the department of finance and administration required by Subsection G of Section 6-6-2 NMSA 1978 that a municipality or county has failed to submit two consecutive financial reports pursuant to Subsection F of that section [6-6-2 NMSA 1978], the secretary may direct the secretary of taxation and revenue to temporarily withhold distributions to the municipality or county pursuant to Section 7-1-6.15 NMSA 1978. The amounts withheld, the source of the amounts and the period of time for which the distributions are to be withheld shall be determined by the secretary of finance and administration subject to the following guidelines:
(1) transfers to a county or municipality of receipts from any local option gross receipts tax or from a tax imposed pursuant to the Local Liquor Excise Tax Act shall not be withheld;
(2) the source and amount of a withheld distribution shall be determined in a manner that will not:
(a) impair any outstanding bonds or other obligations of the municipality or county; or
(b) interrupt a redirected distribution to the New Mexico finance authority pursuant to an ordinance or a resolution passed by the county or municipality and a written agreement of the municipality or county and the New Mexico finance authority;
(3) the initial amount withheld shall not exceed five percent of the amount that would otherwise be distributed to the municipality or county pursuant to the Tax Administration Act and shall be for a period of no more than three months;
(4) every three months, the secretary of finance and administration shall determine if the municipality or county has submitted all past-due financial reports or has otherwise made progress, satisfactory to the local government division, toward compliance with the law. If the secretary determines that past-due reports have not been submitted and that there has been inadequate progress, the secretary may direct that the amount being currently withheld be increased by an additional amount, up to another five percent of the amount that would otherwise be distributed, for an additional period of up to three months; and
(5) upon a determination that all past-due financial reports have been submitted or that the municipality or county is otherwise making progress, satisfactory to the local government division, toward compliance with the law, the secretary shall direct that all withheld amounts be distributed to the municipality or county and that future distributions shall be made in full.
History: 1978 Comp., § 9-6-5.2, enacted by Laws 2011, ch. 106, § 5.
Effective dates. — Laws 2011, ch. 106, § 7 made Laws 2011, ch. 106, § 5 effective July 1, 2012.