Perhaps there’s reason for hope on ethics reform

Perhaps there’s reason to hope New Mexico will take steps to clean up governmental ethics this year. Several of the reform bills introduced just over a week ago in the House have been endorsed by committees this week and are moving forward.

Of the seven bills, four have been approved by committees this week. It’s notable that all bills have been assigned to two committees. Lawmakers generally believe that the speaker is attempting to slow or kill a bill when he gives it three committee assignments.

Here’s a rundown of what has happened thus far:

• 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 in the House Voters and Elections Committee on Tuesday on a vote of 7-5, and now heads to the Appropriations and Finance Committee.

If it is approved there, it heads to the full House for a vote.

• 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.

The bill has been assigned to the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee but has not had a hearing. If it is approved there, it must also pass the Judiciary Committee before being heard by the full House.

• 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.

The bill was approved Thursday in the Voters and Elections Committee on a unanimous vote. It now heads to the Appropriations and Finance Committee, where it must be approved before heading to the full House.

• House Joint Resolution 6, also sponsored by Martinez, would propose a constitutional amendment to voters allowing the annual disbursement to lawmakers. It has been assigned to the Health and Government Affairs and Voters and Elections committees, but has not had a hearing.

• House Bill 821, sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, would create a number of new campaign finance reporting requirements for candidates and political action committees designed to increase the ability of the public to know about the money involved in elections. It would also limit campaign contributions to $2,300 for state races during each election cycle, and primary and general elections are considered separate cycles under the proposal.

The bill was approved by the Voters and Elections Committee on Thursday on an 8-4 vote. It now heads to the Judiciary Committee, where it must be approved before heading to the full House.

• House Bill 822, sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, would create a state ethics commission that has the authority to subpoena and investigate complaints against state officials, lobbyists and contractors, and would fund it in fiscal year 2008 with $500,000.

The bill was approved by the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday on a unanimous vote after the committee made minor changes. It now heads to the Appropriations and Finance Committee, where it must be approved before heading to the full House.

• House Bill 823, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, would make several amendments to clarify and clean up language in the Governmental Conduct Act. The most significant would make judges in New Mexico subject to the act and its statute that criminalizes bribery. Judges are currently exempt.

The bill has been assigned to the Health and Government Affairs and Judiciary committees, but has not yet had a hearing.