Summary:

 Senate Memorial 15 (SM 15) relates to citizen scientists and seeks an increase in the use of them and a declaration from the Governor of a “Citizen Science Day.” 

Legislation Overview:

 Senate Memorial 15 (SM 15) relates to citizen scientists and seeks an increase in the use of them and a declaration from the Governor of a “Citizen Science Day.”
SM 15 defines citizen science as a collaboration among community members, state government and the scientists who manage a state’s public lands in which citizens volunteer to help collect data. The memorial provides background on the benefits of citizen science and the natural resources of New Mexico. In addition to asking the Governor to devote a day to recognizing citizen science, the memorial asks that four state agencies (Public Education Department, Outdoor Recreation Division of the Economic Development Department, Higher Education Department and Department of Agriculture) be asked to review a working group report titled “Recommendations to Expand the Use of Citizen Science in State Agencies in New Mexico” and offer recommendations to integrate citizen science into the agencies. The working group and its report were the results of a House memorial that passed in 2023 calling for a study of citizen science.
Copies of the memorial are to be sent to those four departments.
SM 15 is a duplicate of Senate Memorial 13 (SM 13) except in its title and House Memorial 31 (HM 31).