The Legislative Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico served as the legislative body of the New Mexico Territory during its period under US federal government administration prior to statehood. It was the successor to the General Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico under the 1846 provisional government, and was replaced by the New Mexico Legislature when New Mexico achieved statehood in 1912.
The Legislative Assembly was a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Council. The Act of Congress to establish the territory and settle its boundaries with Texas provided for a Council of 13 members and a House with 26 members. Members of the Council originally served two-year terms while House members were elected for one year, but in 1869 Congress dictated that territorial legislatures should only meet every two years, meaning that both houses were elected to serve only one session. The size of the body was reduced to a Council of 12 members and a House of 24 members in 1880.
Legislative sessions The Legislative Assembly met in Santa Fe, New Mexico, originally in the Palace of the Governors. After 1900, it moved to a new territorial capitol, today the Bataan Memorial Building.
SessionYear1st New Mexico Territorial Legislature1851-522nd New Mexico Territorial Legislature1852-533rd New Mexico Territorial Legislature1853-544th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1854-555th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1855-566th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1856-577th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1857-588th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1858-599th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1859-6010th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1860-6111th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1861-6212th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1862-6313th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1863-6414th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1864-6515th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1865-6616th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1866-6717th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1867-6818th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1868-6919th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1869-7020th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1871-7221st New Mexico Territorial Legislature1873-7422nd New Mexico Territorial Legislature1875-7623rd New Mexico Territorial Legislature187824th New Mexico Territorial Legislature188025th New Mexico Territorial Legislature188226th New Mexico Territorial Legislature188427th New Mexico Territorial Legislature188728th New Mexico Territorial Legislature188929th New Mexico Territorial Legislature189130th New Mexico Territorial Legislature189331st New Mexico Territorial Legislature189532nd New Mexico Territorial Legislature189733rd New Mexico Territorial Legislature189934th New Mexico Territorial Legislature190135th New Mexico Territorial Legislature190336th New Mexico Territorial Legislature190437th New Mexico Territorial Legislature190738th New Mexico Territorial Legislature1909
See also List of New Mexico state legislatures
References