AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers will examine Wednesday what legal, constitutional and financial steps would be required for Texas to add one or more counties from New Mexico.
The House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight is scheduled to hear testimony on the Texas-New Mexico boundary at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Austin. The committee’s interim charge calls for a study of the constitutional, statutory, fiscal and economic implications of adding contiguous New Mexico counties to Texas.
Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, chairs the select committee.
The study will examine provisions of the U.S. Constitution, the Texas Constitution and the New Mexico Constitution, along with relevant federal and state laws and court precedent. Lawmakers will also identify the state and federal procedures needed to transfer territory from New Mexico to Texas and consider potential legislation or resolutions to initiate such a process.
The committee’s hearing does not constitute a vote to annex New Mexico territory. It forms part of the House’s interim work between legislative sessions.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows directed the select committee to study the Texas-New Mexico boundary as part of its interim charges. Burrows appointed the Governmental Oversight committee in March.
The issue follows a proposal from New Mexico lawmakers earlier this year that sought to establish a process for three or more contiguous counties to leave New Mexico and either form a new state or join a neighboring state.
That proposal called for petitions from at least 15% of qualified voters in each county, special elections with at least two-thirds support in each county, unanimous approval from county commissions, settlement of outstanding debt and an act of Congress signed by the president.
The Texas committee is also scheduled to consider testimony on prosecutorial integrity and taxpayer funds during Wednesday’s meeting.
