This article has been updated.
The Senate Rules Committee gave a do-pass recommendation today to a proposal to ban former legislators from becoming lobbyists for a year after their terms end.
The committee also continued discussion on two other ethics-reform proposals as it works its way through a host of ethics bills.
On the proposal related to legislators becoming lobbyists, after considering Senate Bill 94, sponsored by Mark Boitano, R-Albuquerque, and Senate Bill 163, sponsored by Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque, the committee opted to move Griego’s bill forward because it “is actually much more expansive,” committee Chair Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, said at today’s meeting.
That’s because Boitano’s bill would have prohibited legislators from becoming lobbyists for a year after they leave office, which would have left open the possibility of a lawmaker resigning from office mid-term to become a lobbyist more quickly. Under Griego’s bill, even if a legislator resigns, he or she could not become a lobbyist until a year after the term he or she did not fulfill ends.
Griego’s bill would take effect at the end of 2010.
Of the members of the committee who were present for the vote to give the bill a do-pass recommendation, only Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, voted against it.
Contribution limits discussed
Committee members have not yet reconciled the differences between several bills related to banning or requiring the disclosure of contractors’ contributions, bills that were discussed on Monday. With the backing of the governor, two new bills related to that topic were introduced on Thursday, the last day to introduce legislation, so the committee has more work to do before it brings that proposal back for a vote.
But the committee did spend a great deal of time today discussing four different bills that propose the enacting of campaign contribution limits to candidates, political action committees and political parties. The committee plans to draft a substitute bill that combines elements of the various bills and bring it back for a vote in the near future.
On contribution limits, the four bills being considered are Senate Bill 116, sponsored by Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque; Senate Biill 262, sponsored by Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park; Senate Bill 346, sponsored by Bernadette Sanchez, D-Albuquerque; and Senate Bill 521, sponsored by Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe.
Support for the general concept of contribution limits was expressed at the meeting by representatives of the attorney general, Common Cause, the Center for Civic Policy, AARP and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. No group spoke in opposition.
Ingle expressed concern today, as he has in the past, about the bills not attempting to in some way limit donations to nonprofits. Critics of that idea say it’s unconstitutional, and Wirth responded to Ingle by saying that there are “some questions about the First Amendment.”
Lopez said she’s hopeful that the committee will put together a strong proposal, and added that she’s mindful of the impact contribution limits would have.
“It affects all of us and, as the cost of running for office grows, we have to make sure that we can provide people an opportunity to raise money,” she said.
Other ethics-reform proposals
The committee has not yet taken up other ethics-reform proposals including the creation of a state ethics commission and the opening of legislative conference committees to the public. And it has left a proposal to expand the state’s public financing system in limbo.
Lopez said she understands that the process of passing bills through the committee takes time and that has frustrated some, but she said it’s necessary to wait until all legislation on a topic is introduced, then work to combine various bills into one proposal to move forward instead of passing on several, related proposals to the next committee.
“We can’t let each bill out, go on its own, because then we go into mayhem. … It’s just part of the process that this committee has utilized,” she said.
Today’s meeting was webcast by the New Mexico Independent.
Update, 11:15 a.m.
Click here to access a document comparing the four contribution-limit bills being considered. It was provided by the Senate Rules Committee.