Some ethics-reform bills have been introduced in the Legislature in recent days and received the blessing of Gov. Bill Richardson to be considered during the 30-day session.
• Senate Bill 264, sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez of Belen, would place limits on campaign contributions to individuals equal to the federal limit, which is currently $2,300 for a primary and $2,300 for a general election.
• House Bill 309, sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, would create a state ethics commission to investigate complaints of ethical misconduct by public officials from all three branches of government. Its membership would be balanced between the two major political parties and consist of people appointed by the governor, legislative leaders from both parties and the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
• State Rep. Jose Campos, D-Santa Rosa, introduced legislation today calling for a study on the possibly of creating a state commission to oversee elections in
In addition, I’m told that increased funding for the Secretary of State’s online campaign finance reporting and disclosure system will be sought, but no bill has been introduced.
Still, there is some movement on ethics bills, though they got a later start than most of the governor’s other priorities. There’s no word yet on whether anyone will introduce a bill to expand the state’s public financing system – something
House Speaker Ben Lujan, who sponsored two public financing bills that were approved last year, said today he might introduce a bill to further expand the program during the current session.
“It’s a short, 30-day session, but I still might look at it because I believe in that stuff,” he said.
Lujan said he hasn’t seen Sanchez’s contribution-limits bill, but there was a dispute between the House and Senate last year over contribution limits. The House passed a bill that applied only to contributions to individuals, but the Senate wanted limits on contributions to individuals and political action committees.
I don’t know why, a year later, Sanchez’s bill applies only to individuals, and I’ve been unable to reach him for comment. But Lujan said if the Senate bill isn’t acceptable he might have a contribution limit bill introduced in the House.
The speaker also said he thinks there’s an “excellent chance” that the House will approve the ethics commission bill, which includes an appropriation of $500,000 for fiscal year 2009. The House approved creation of the commission last year but provided no funding to implement it. The Senate did not approve creation of the commission last year.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson of
At the moment, there’s a lot of focus from lobbyists and activists on public financing, especially since
Update, 4:10 p.m.
Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos released this statement:
“Governor Richardson supports public financing of campaigns and still plans to put the issue on the agenda for the session – as soon as today,” he said.