Ethics reform bills to be introduced Thursday

A package of ethics reform bills crafted by House Democrats will be introduced Thursday.

Kathleen MacRae, spokeswoman for the House majority leader’s office, confirmed that this afternoon.

The bills come from the recommendations of the governor’s task force, the governor’s own recommendations and negotiations with other legislators, Majority Leader Ken Martinez has said. Martinez, who served on the governor’s task force, spent much of today working to finalize the bills before they are introduced.

As I reported Tuesday, Rep. Mary Helen Garcia will be the House sponsor of the bill that would create a state ethics commission.

Garcia, a Las Cruces Democrat, had fought for the commission to have disciplinary powers that include the ability to fine, censure and reprimand public officials, state employees, lobbyists and contractors – the same recommendations made by Gov. Bill Richardson – but the bill that will be introduced will not give the commission that authority.

Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos made this comment about that change:

“The Governor’s task force developed specific recommendations that have become the basis for long overdue ethics reform, but there is a legislative process that will ultimately determine the details of the reform package,” he said. “The governor is committed to working with the Legislature to enact a comprehensive package of meaningful reforms.”

I’ll have more on the bills once they are introduced.