Constitution of New Mexico (2025 publisher edition) — ARTICLE XIII

Publisher edition notice: This collection preserves the complete Secretary of State's 2025 compilation, identifying amendments through 2024, including the publisher's source notes and annotations. Later amendments have not been independently verified.

ARTICLE XIII

ARTICLE XIII Public Lands Sec. 1. Disposition of state lands. 2. Duties of land commissioner. 3. Patents for public lands. Section 1. [Disposition of state lands.] All lands belonging to the territory of New Mexico, and all lands granted, transferred or confirmed to the state by congress, and all

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166© 2025 State of New Mexico. New Mexico Compilation Commission. All rights reserved. Article XIII – Public Lands lands hereafter acquired, are declared to be public lands of the state to be held or dis- posed of as may be provided by law for the purposes for which they have been or may be granted, donated or otherwise acquired; provided, that such of school Sections Two, Thirty-Two, Sixteen and Thirty-Six as are not contiguous to other state lands shall not be sold within the period of ten years next after the admission of New Mexico as a state for less than ten dollars [($10.00)] per acre. Sec. 2. [Duties of land commissioner.] The commissioner of public lands shall select, locate, classify and have the direc- tion, control, care and disposition of all public lands, under the provisions of the acts of congress relating thereto and such regulations as may be provided by law. Sec. 3. [Patents for public lands.] The provisions of the Enabling Act (36 Stat. 557, 563) which prohibit the granting of a patent for a portion of a tract of public lands under sales contract because the full consideration for the entire tract is not or was not paid, are waived with respect to the following sales:

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167© 2025 State of New Mexico. New Mexico Compilation Commission. All rights reserved. Article XIV – Public Institutions A. sale of a portion of a tract under sales contract, if the patent to that portion was issued on or before September 4, 1956; B. sale of a portion of a tract under sales contract, if the right to purchase the portion is derived from an assignment made on or before September 4, 1956; or C. sale of a portion of a tract under sales contract, or under a contract entered into in substitution of such contract, if the right to purchase all other portions of the tract were assigned or relinquished on or before September 4, 1956 by the person holding the contract. The legislature may enact laws to carry out the purposes of this amendment. (As added November 3, 1964.)