Section 57-5-9 - Contracts for more than one year unlawful; rights under former contracts; penalty for violation; invalidity of contract. - New Mexico Statutes

57-5-9. [Contracts for more than one year unlawful; rights under former contracts; penalty for violation; invalidity of contract.]

It shall be unlawful from and after the passage of this act for any person, or corporation, to contract for, license, buy, own or control a franchise in or for a town or city, where competition exists, for the product of any producer, distributor or from any other person, for a period of time greater than one year, and it shall be unlawful for any producer, distributor or person to sell, rent or otherwise dispose of any picture to any competitive exhibitor for a period of time greater than one year. Provided that all the parties to any contract or contracts now in force for franchises for periods greater than one year between any producer and/or distributor, exhibitor or owner of any moving picture show or shows, or theaters, shall, within thirty days after this act becomes effective, file a copy of such franchise or franchises in the office of the state corporation commission [public regulation commission]; that there shall be attached to said contracts an affidavit, duly sworn to by the parties thereto, setting forth that said franchise was executed prior to the time that this act became effective, and that said franchise or contract, so filed or to be filed, has in no way been altered since this act became effective, and shall state the consideration paid and to be paid for each and every picture mentioned therein or to be furnished thereunder during the remainder of its life. Any person making any false statement in any such affidavit shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and upon conviction thereof, punished as provided by law. Provided, further, all contracts in force with competitive exhibitors in this state at the time of the passage of this act for franchises, for a period of time greater than one year, shall, if otherwise legal, not be interfered with, and shall remain in full force and effect and lived up to during the life thereof. Any person or corporation who violates the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000). All contracts made in violation of any of the provisions of this act shall be void.