The House has approved two more ethics reform bills and sent them to the Senate for consideration.
House Bill 818, sponsored by Speaker of the House Ben Lujan, D-Nambé, would create a public financing system for statewide and judicial candidates similar to the system already in place for Public Regulation Commission races. It was approved Wednesday on a vote of 41-28.
House Bill 820, sponsored by Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants, would prohibit lawmakers from spending campaign funds except, for the most part, on politically related activities. It would also provide an annual disbursement to each lawmaker equal to 15 percent of the salary of New Mexico Supreme Court justices for expenses directly related to their duties. It was approved Wednesday on a vote of 43-24.
Two additional bills in the House Democrats’ ethics reform package are scheduled to be voted on by the House today.
House Bill 819, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, would prohibit state officials and candidates for state offices from accepting gifts with a value of more than $250, and prohibit lobbyists from giving gifts whose combined value total more than $1,000 to any one state official or candidate for state office each year.
House Bill 823, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, would make several amendments to the Governmental Conduct Act, which attempts to set ethical standards for public officials. The bill would require that public officials disclose, in cases of contracts and other business with the state, not only their own business but that of spouses, children, parents and siblings. It also makes the act apply to judges, who are currently exempt.