A. The secretary of information technology may hire a communications engineer to oversee the engineering responsibilities of the department of information technology. The communications engineer shall have a degree in either electrical engineering with an electrical communications specialty or in electronics engineering.
B. In providing telecommunications services pursuant to Chapter 15 NMSA 1978, the department of information technology shall not provide telecommunications services, including telephone, data and broadband services, to an entity other than those authorized pursuant to Section 15-5-1 NMSA 1978 [ 9-27-20 NMSA 1978], except as is necessary to facilitate a state-mandated program, including distance education, telehealth or school-based health center programs. Before expansion or upgrade of a state-owned or state-funded telecommunications network, whether voice, data or video transmission, the department shall prepare a plan consistent with state law and applicable rules that includes an assessment of how the project would potentially affect local telecommunications service providers and telecommunications service ratepayers.
History: 1953 Comp., § 4-26-1, enacted by Laws 1977, ch. 247, § 23; Laws 1978, ch. 124, § 3; 1980, ch. 151, § 9; 1983, ch. 301, § 39; 2007, ch. 290, § 13; 1978 Comp., § 15-2-1, recompiled as § 9-27-13 by Laws 2009, ch. 146, § 10.