Gov. Susana Martinez is making another effort to merge the departments of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, saying she wants to save money and streamline state government.

Rep. Paul C. Bandy, a Republican rancher from Aztec, introduced a bill Tuesday that would create the Cultural Affairs and Tourism Department.

A similar measure (also carried by Bandy) was tabled by a House committee last year, indicating lack of support from Democrats in the Legislature of the idea.

Bandy said this year's version, House Bill 157, is essentially the same as last session's HB 255, although he described the new bill as less complicated.

Bandy said that New Mexico -- with 25 state departments plus three state offices -- leads the nation in the number of Cabinet secretaries.

"I'd rather lead the nation in public school third-grade reading performance," he said.

A fiscal impact report prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee in 2011 estimated that the merger would result in about $1.35 million in cost savings.

The new department would have one Cabinet secretary and 18 divisions led by exempt employees.

"We're hoping for a different outcome" this year, Bandy said, noting that the bill now has the support of the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.

Of course, the votes that count are at the Roundhouse and, Bandy admitted, "We're working on that."

The current department secretaries, he added, "think there is synergy between the departments."

"We can work better to promote cultural events and bring tourism into the cultural preserve. And where it is appropriate to promote cultural heritage, they could do that better as one department," he said.

Former Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman strongly opposed merging Cultural Affairs with any other department, saying its size and its mission of preserving the state's cultural patrimony did not make it a good fit with any other department. Cultural Affairs was not a department of state government until 2004, when then-Gov. Bill Richardson elevated the Office of Cultural Affairs to Cabinet-level status.

Veronica Gonzales, the current secretary of the Department of Cultural Affairs, is in favor of the bill, although the plan seems to be for Monique Jacobson, who heads the much smaller Department of Tourism, to become the new secretary of the merged department.

"There is no disagreement on the idea that government needs to be smaller," Gonzales said. "We have a lot of departments compared to our population. It's ridiculous, if you ask me. We have to be good stewards of the people's money."

Gonzales pointed out that the departments already have a memorandum of understanding to share the services of a chief financial officer (and some staff) and a legal counsel.

"I think the missions of the two departments are very distinct, but I do think they are complementary. Working together, we can complement each other's mission. Whether we merge or not, we should do that," she said.

A new brand for the Tourism Department -- "adventure steeped in culture" -- which was announced last fall, is an example of how to blend the missions, she added.

The Cultural Affairs Department is also already saving money on salaries. There are currently 109 vacancies out of 537 authorized positions, and the department estimates a vacancy rate for the fiscal year ending June 30 of 20 percent.

Following a "listening tour" last year, Gonzales sought authorization for 25 critical hires throughout the department including security guards, curators, cashiers and facilities managers. So far, four positions have been filled and the others are in the posting, interviewing and offering process.

"We are somewhat in a freeze and we have to apply for exceptions," Gonzales noted.

The department has posted five site manager positions for state monuments and is about to start interviewing applicants, she added. It is also seeking a director for the State Monuments Division, which is currently presided over by an interim director.

Contact Anne Constable at 986-3022 or aconstable@sfnewmexican.com.