New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES
Chapter 11 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Part 10 - STATE RURAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND
Section 17.11.10.30 - ADVISORY BOARD

A. The commission shall establish and appoint an advisory board composed of representatives from participating contributing companies and ETCs, the attorney general, the commission staff, and any representative(s) of one or more consumer groups or organizations that the commission may choose to appoint. The members shall include no more than one representative from each of the following types of telecommunications carriers and entities providing comparable intrastate retail services: incumbent rural telecommunications carriers; incumbent local exchange carriers other than incumbent rural telecommunications carriers; competitive local exchange carriers not ETC-designated; ETC-designated competitive local exchange carriers; commercial mobile radio service providers not-ETC-designated; and ETC-designated commercial mobile radio service providers. Any other type of telecommunications carriers or providers of comparable intrastate retail service may petition the commission for representation by no more than one member of that type of carrier or service provider on the advisory board, which the commission may grant by order. The commission shall resolve any dispute among the carriers or service providers of each type as to who shall be the member of the advisory board. The members representing participating contributors shall each be appointed for a term of three years. Members of the board may be reappointed to subsequent terms with the approval of the commission. Expenses incurred by a member in connection with participation on the advisory board shall not be reimbursed from the fund.

B. The advisory board shall meet periodically with the administrator and shall provide advice and consultation to the administrator as provided under this rule. Where deemed necessary by the advisory board, it shall make recommendations to the commission or the administrator, or both, relating to potential matters related to administration of the fund. Should the members of the advisory board not agree on a recommendation to the commission or administrator on any particular matter, the advisory board may provide a majority recommendation as well as a minority recommendation as to the resolution of any such identified issue. In addition, any member of the advisory board may, with advance written notice to the other members of the advisory board, provide individual recommendations or other information to the commission and the administrator that it deems appropriate. The advisory board is intended to be a forum within which to build consensus on matters relating to the administration of the fund, while not deterring any interested party from communicating its concerns relating to the administration of the fund to the advisory board, or, subject to advance written notice to the other members of the advisory board, directly to the commission.

C. The advisory board members shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and secretary to serve on the board for two years, subject to additional terms as elected from within the board. For the purpose of conducting business, a majority of the board members present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum.