Bill limiting gifts gets committee approval

Another ethics reform bill has been approved by a House committee.

On Tuesday House Bill 819, which would limit gifts to public officials, passed the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on a vote of 6-0. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, would prohibit state officials and candidates for state offices from accepting gifts with a value of more than $250, and prohibit lobbyists from giving gifts whose combined value total more than $1,000 to any one state official or candidate for state office each year.

“There is currently no law in New Mexico that regulates gifts to candidates, elected officials or state employees,” Chasey said in a news release. “This bill will set the parameters of what is acceptable and legal for everyone, including lobbyists or companies doing business with the state and the recipient of the gifts.”

The bill is part of a comprehensive package of ethics reform proposals made by House Democrats. The only one that hasn’t advanced is House Bill 823, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, which would make several amendments to clarify and clean up language in the Governmental Conduct Act.