Richardson optimistic about some ethics bills

Gov. Bill Richardson says he’s optimistic that four of his ethics reform proposals will be approved before the end of the session.

He said at a news conference today that he is most optimistic about three proposals:

• Limitations on gifts. Senate Bill 931, sponsored by John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe, and House Bill 819, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, have passed their own chambers but are awaiting approval in the other.

• Campaign contribution limits. The Senate has approved Senate Bill 800, sponsored by Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, which places limits on campaign contributions to candidates for offices and political action committees. The House has approved House Bill 821, sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, which only applies to contributions to candidates. Richardson said he believes the House will amend the Senate bill so that it only applies to contributions to candidates and will approve it.

• Amendments to the Governmental Conduct Act. House Bill 823, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, would make several amendments to the Governmental Conduct Act. It would require that public officials disclose, in cases of contracts and other business with the state, not only their own business but also that of spouses, children, parents and siblings. It also makes the act apply to judges, who are currently exempt from its provision that prohibits bribery.

Cervantes said at the news conference that the bill will be heard by the Senate today. It would be the first in the ethics reform package to gain approval.

In addition, Richardson said he believes a scaled-down public financing bill can be approved – perhaps one that expands the current system that applies to candidates for Public Regulation Commission seats to also apply to state judges. The bills, which are both bogged down in Senate committees, would expand the system to apply to all statewide and judicial races.

Richardson said the scaled-down version would be acceptable, and he believes it will pass.

“Let’s get a little piece of this,” he said.

A proposal to create a state ethics commission apparently died when the Legislature sent the budget and capital outlay bills to the governor without any funding for the commission. The sponsor of House Bill 822, Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, has said the proposal appears dead since there won’t be any funding for it.

But Richardson didn’t know, during the news conference, that the funding wasn’t in the budget bill. After being told by staffers it had been cut, he asked whether there was another way to obtain the funding, and received mostly silence.

“I’m not optimistic about the commission. I’m going to be honest,” Richardson then said. “I’m going to try to revive it.”

However, Richardson said, he wasn’t willing to make a change some lawmakers want – “I will not agree to an exemption for the Legislature.”

He would not name the lawmakers who want such an exemption.