The meeting is still in process and being webcast by the New Mexico Independent
One ethics-reform bill moved quickly through the Senate Rules Committee this morning as lawmakers tackled an agenda that includes a number of reform bills.
Senate Bill 261, sponsored by Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park, would establish a process for the forfeiture of retirement benefits for state employees and state retirees convicted of felonies “arising from conduct related to” their public employment. The rules committee passed the bill on to the Senate Judiciary Committee with no recommendation because of several procedural and due-process questions to which some members want better answers. That will require the gathering of some additional information by staff.
Sen. Dianna Duran, R-Tularosa, voted against the motion because she wanted the committee to pass the bill on with a favorable recommendation. All other members of the committee voted for the motion.
Before approving the motion, the committee accepted a substitute bill that made several changes, including two that are substantial: The bill now allows for an appeals process for those who are stripped of retirement benefits and clarifies that community property and child support will not be touched. Beffort said she doesn’t want to punish families for the criminal conduct of one individual.
Questions asked by Democratic Sens. Michael Sanchez of Belen and Peter Wirth of Santa Fe, who are also members of the judiciary committee, related to procedural and due-process issues. One provision in the bill requires the AG to seek the stripping of retirement benefits in such a case, and allows the courts to decide whether to strip such benefits. Wirth suggested that Beffort consider changing that so that the AG can decide whether to seek that from the court, but added that he supports the bill.
Sanchez, an attorney who handles criminal cases, said he wants to ensure that the accused have fair hearings.
“Everybody deserves their day in court regardless of what anybody else thinks about them,” he said.
The meeting is being webcast by the New Mexico Independent and underway now, with several more ethics bills on the agenda. Click here to watch.