Richardson begins acting on ethics reform bills

Gov. Bill Richardson has signed a bill that imposes limits on gifts to public officials and candidates for state offices.

He also said he will line-item veto part of another ethics bill that was approved this year by the Legislature.

Senate Bill 931, sponsored by John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe, takes effect June 15. It prohibits public officials and candidates for state offices from accepting gifts with value of more than $100 during legislative sessions and $250 during the rest of the year. It also prohibits lobbyists from giving gifts whose combined value total more than $1,000 to any state official or candidate for state office each year.

The Senate wanted the limits to also apply to local officials, but the House wouldn’t agree to that. The Senate also wanted to exempt food, but the House didn’t allow that, either.

The limits apply to items including food, lodging, transportation and entertainment. Violations are petty misdemeanors.

Richardson also said he will sign the ethics bill approved during the special session – House Bill 6, sponsored by Speaker of the House Ben Lujan, D-Nambé – but not before line-item vetoing a provision in it.

The bill, as approved by the Senate and House, would expand the state’s public financing system to include races for the New Mexico Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, but only if voters approve a constitutional amendment that eliminates the retention system. Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces and the minority whip, sold the amendment to his colleagues by arguing that without competition, there’s no need for public financing.

House Democrats didn’t like the provision, but agreed to approve it with the understanding that Richardson would veto it.

He will, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

“I don’t like that. I’ll line-item veto that provision,” the newspaper quoted Richardson as saying.

Richardson didn’t say when he’ll sign the bill. He also hasn’t indicated when he’ll sign the other bill from the ethics reform package that was approved this year.

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.