N.M. Stat. § 12-11-12
Declaration of policy.
The legislature declares that the possibility of an enemy attack of unprecedented
destructiveness made possible by recent technological developments, and which may
result in the death or inability to act on the part of a large number of the membership of
the legislature make [makes] it necessary to assure the continuity and effective
operation of the legislature by providing for emergency advance naming of persons to
temporarily fill vacancies in the legislature, and that it is the legislative intent to provide
that continuity in the Legislative Disaster Succession Act [12-11-11 to 12-11-18 NMSA
1978].