While many lawmakers, the governor and attorney general are focusing their ethics reform efforts on high-profile proposals that include creation of a state ethics commission and the enactment of campaign contribution limits, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is taking a different approach this session.
Denish announced her support today for three less talked-about bills she said would increase transparency in state government. The first is House Bill 272, sponsored by Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque. It would eliminate exemptions to campaign finance reporting laws and mandate quarterly finance reports for candidates and committees. Currently, in off-election years, reports are only required annually.
Denish, a 2010 gubernatorial candidate, has voluntarily been releasing her own campaign finance reports quarterly even in off-election years.
The lieutenant governor is also pushing House Bill 546, sponsored by Al Park, D-Albuquerque, which would require all contractors doing business with the state to be listed in an online, searchable database made available to the public. Information made accessible would include company name, contract, and contract value.
And she’s pushing House Bill 507, sponsored by Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants, which would require government agencies to respond to public records requests sent via e-mail or fax and cut the time agencies have to respond to public records requests from 15 to 10 days. The bill also contains provisions intended to reduce the number of redactions in documents.
Martinez’s proposal comes at least in part in response to New Mexico State University’s assertion in 2007 that records requests I filed weren’t valid because they were sent via e-mail. The attorney general considered the issue and said that, though his office and the vast majority of state agencies treated e-mail requests as valid, state law didn’t explicitly require that they be treated as valid.
So, obviously, I’m a big fan of Martinez’s bill. Like webcasting, it’s another one of those examples where government in New Mexico needs to step into the 21st Century. Thanks to Martinez for taking on this important issue.
Anyway, asked about her decision to push these less talked-about reform proposals over others, Denish had this to say in a statement released by her office:
“The more complex bills have had a difficult time making it through. These three bills are really simple and, together, they add transparency in a number of different areas,” she said. “We are not just looking at campaign finance reform. We’re also looking at shining more light into the state contracting process by offering access to information on existing contracts and contract values. We also want to improve government responsiveness and openness when it comes to the public’s right to information. A simple but comprehensive approach to ethics reform is necessary.”