Section 16-6-4 - Powers and duties of commission; annual fair; exhibits; premiums. - New Mexico Statutes

16-6-4. Powers and duties of commission; annual fair; exhibits; premiums.

A.     The state fair commission shall have power and authority to hold annually on suitable grounds a state fair at which shall be exhibited livestock, poultry, vegetables, fruits, grains, grasses and other farm products, minerals, ores and other mining exhibits, mining machinery and farm implements and all other things which the commissioners or a majority thereof deem consonant with the purposes of a state fair for the purposes of advancing the agricultural, horticultural and stock raising, mining, mechanical and industrial pursuits of the state and shall have the care of its property and be entrusted with the entire direction of its business and its financial affairs consistent with the provisions of Sections 16-6-15 and 16-6-16 NMSA 1978.   

B.     The commission, among other duties, shall prepare, adopt, publish and enforce all necessary rules for the management of the New Mexico state fair, its meetings and exhibitions and for the guidance of its officers, employees and exhibitors. The commission shall determine the duties, compensation and tenure of office of all of its officers and employees and may remove from office or discharge any person appointed or employed by it at will and shall have the power to appoint all necessary fairgrounds police to keep order on the grounds and in the buildings of the state fair. The fairgrounds police so appointed shall be vested with the same authority for such purposes as peace officers. The commission shall have the power to charge entrance fees and admissions and lease stalls, stand and restaurant sites, give prizes and premiums, arrange entertainments and do all things which by the commission may be considered proper for the conduct of the state fair not otherwise prohibited by law.  The commission shall prohibit the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages on the grounds of the state fair except in controlled access areas within the licensed premises. The commission or its designees shall meet with the director of the alcohol and gaming division of the department of regulation and licensing and other parties in interest to designate the controlled access areas on which the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages may be permitted. As used in this subsection, "alcoholic beverages" means distilled or rectified spirits, potable alcohol, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin and aromatic bitters bearing the federal internal revenue strip stamps or any similar alcoholic beverage, including blended or fermented beverages, dilutions or mixtures of one or more of the foregoing containing more than one-half of one percent alcohol, but excluding medicinal bitters.